Unattended garbage turns Colva beach stretch into 'waste' land
Colva: The Colva-Benaulim beach stretch is battling a waste management crisis as a huge quantity of garbage has washed ashore due to rains. Piled up around the sand dunes along the coastline, it has raised concerns among locals.
The waste, apparently deposited along the shore due to ocean currents, has a mix of trash generated by visitors over the weekend, resulting in an alarming situation.
Most of the visitors discard the trash in the open owing to lack of proper disposal facilities. They leave behind heaps of food wrappers, plastic bottles, glass containers and other non-biodegradable materials.
The responsibility of maintaining cleanliness was entrusted to Ecostan Infra Private Ltd .
Gurudas Naik, the beach cleaning supervisor appointed in the area, defended the temporary measure stating that the garbage collected from the shore needs to be dried before processing further. “Once dried, it is segregated into categories such as plastic, organic matter and other non-recyclables before it is transported to the treatment facility,” he explained.
However, not all waste is accepted by the treatment plant. “Tree branches, driftwood and other organic debris are not accepted. We have to dispose of that separately, and this adds to the logistical challenges we face, especially during the monsoons,” Naik added.
When asked about the lack of garbage bins along the beach, he cited environmental constraints. “Bins often get swept away by strong waves or tides. In the past, we’ve seen bins dragged into the sea, which creates more hazards for marine life and beach visitors. As a precaution, bins are now placed only near the entrance of the beach,” he said.
Village social activists have called for immediate intervention by local authorities to ensure more sustainable and effective waste management practices.
As monsoon tides continue to bring in more debris, the need for proactive and long-term solutions becomes even more urgent to preserve Goa’s iconic beaches from becoming dumping grounds.
The waste, apparently deposited along the shore due to ocean currents, has a mix of trash generated by visitors over the weekend, resulting in an alarming situation.
Most of the visitors discard the trash in the open owing to lack of proper disposal facilities. They leave behind heaps of food wrappers, plastic bottles, glass containers and other non-biodegradable materials.
The responsibility of maintaining cleanliness was entrusted to Ecostan Infra Private Ltd .
Gurudas Naik, the beach cleaning supervisor appointed in the area, defended the temporary measure stating that the garbage collected from the shore needs to be dried before processing further. “Once dried, it is segregated into categories such as plastic, organic matter and other non-recyclables before it is transported to the treatment facility,” he explained.
However, not all waste is accepted by the treatment plant. “Tree branches, driftwood and other organic debris are not accepted. We have to dispose of that separately, and this adds to the logistical challenges we face, especially during the monsoons,” Naik added.
When asked about the lack of garbage bins along the beach, he cited environmental constraints. “Bins often get swept away by strong waves or tides. In the past, we’ve seen bins dragged into the sea, which creates more hazards for marine life and beach visitors. As a precaution, bins are now placed only near the entrance of the beach,” he said.
Village social activists have called for immediate intervention by local authorities to ensure more sustainable and effective waste management practices.
As monsoon tides continue to bring in more debris, the need for proactive and long-term solutions becomes even more urgent to preserve Goa’s iconic beaches from becoming dumping grounds.
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