Margao-Benaulim road stretch turns into open dump for garbage

COLVA: Domestic waste collected in plastic bags and dumped by the roadside poses a serious threat to public health and the environment. Though in 2010, the high court of Bombay at Goa had directed all panchayats in the state to create composting facilities for biodegradable waste within their limits and make arrangements for weekly collection of non biodegradable waste, Benaulim panchayat seems to have partly adopted the court order thereby attracting contempt proceedings.

Garbage is now littered all along the roadsides, with biodegradable waste in plastic bags and diapers becoming a regular sight.

A lowlying area, on the Margao-Benaulim road stretch, has become a convenient spot for discarding domestic refuse. The 25m stretch has become filthy with plastic bags. This illegal dumping of waste is also, unfortunately, attracting hungry domestic animals like dogs, pigs and cattle.

Benaulim panchayat member Felicia Noronha said she is aware of it and had cleaned it last December. “I had suggested to the sarpanch to install a CCTV camera, but the sarpanch said it not possible to install the cameras everywhere,” she said.

Sarpanch Diella Pereira said that Benaulim panchayat has adopted a resolution that it will fund upto Rs 1,000 per month to clear such spots and it is the responsibility of the ward member to maintain a watch and clear it.

Xavier Pereira, a panchayat member and also husband of the sarpanch, said that the composting unit is non-functional. Admitting that the Benaulim panchayat has committed contempt of the high court order, Pereira said that they had identified a site to set up a composting unit. “A villager approached the pollution control board and stopped it, as the area, where it was to be set up, was in a lowlying area,” Pereira said.

“ On the first three days of the week, we collect dry waste including papers and diapers from households. On other days, we segregate and sort the waste. It is not Benaulim villagers who throw the garbage, but people from other villages who create the nuisance late at night,” he said.