CALL TO CLEAN GOA AFTER GANGES IS THROUGH

AHMEDABAD: A place is judged by its hygiene level for its cool quotient. Nature has given Goa scenic spots in abundance, the waters, a lush green land, serene views, et al. The Portuguese left behind some very cute buildings. But we have not been able to handle it over a period of time. We have wasted an opportunity. Blame it on ourselves, or blame it on tourists, the state's ugly patches come up now and then as you drive through some of the most picturesque spots.
There is garbage strewn all over the roadside. Suddenly, the ugly patches hit you in the eye. As you drive through, you wonder who is responsible for this mess. What will move our society and our panchayats to get their act together and rid the stretches of garbage? Who is dumping there? Why no action? Who is to bell the cat? A thought comes, why not we dump the garbage in the chief minister's house and see if the authorities will take some action? Probably then the municipalities and panchayats will go and collect it from there.
The state urgently requires garbage dump yards and garbage treatment plants covering all locations. Garbage collection and segregation is an important task of the civic agencies. There are several officials who are drawing huge salaries from the public fund to ensure that this work is done properly. Goa is a small state and should serve as a model state for the country to follow. If we cannot, who else can? Why has it taken such a long time to identify permanent garbage dumps in the state? Why is there no will among our bureaucrats and babus down the line to set this problem right? The common answer one finds from people in high society is that politicians do not have the will. Is it only a politicians' responsibility? Is it not the right of the citizens to fight for this issue? Politicians will act if they know that their citizenry is having an issue with the garbage piling up. So, it's up to us citizens to take on the government on the issue.
We do not have appropriate garbage dumps in the state. Look at what we have and the problems associated with it. The Sonsoddo garbage dump in Margao has been there for more than a decade. The Mapusa municipal council has been dumping garbage at Assagao Plateau for more than a decade for want of an appropriate place. It has turned into an eyesore on the picturesque Assagao Plateau. Panjim has no dumping ground, so CCP has usurped the now non-functional quarry at Taleigao plateau and made it its dump yard recently and is seeking to make it a regular dump yard much to the consternation of the residents around.
In Vasco, Mormugao municipal council has a landfill and garbage treatment plant at Bogda. But MPT complained last year that it causes a nuisance. They went to court. The high court of Bombay at Goa has ruled that the garbage treatment plant is fine, but has asked Mormugao municipal council to shift the landfill to another location. So effectively, most areas of the state do not have appropriate dump yards.
Many apartments have started coming up in Goa. But infrastructure to cater to the increasing number of residential properties and flats is not in place. Even the sewage pipelines and storm water drains are not going to be adequate to cater to the future requirements of the state.
It's time that the government come up with a comprehensive plan to deal with these issues and implement them quickly without waiting for too long. Already, National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has a report which has found that sewage being let out into the river Zuari and river Mandovi has contaminated the waters and during monsoons, many spots in the beaches are contaminated with E.coli, making it unsafe.  It's time to clean up Goa, and so citizen forums too have an onus to fight.

8 comments:

Perdro Lopes said...

The Government is a chor my friend, we should not day dream that the government will do something good, in the contrary they are out to destroy Goa.
 
To save Goa from this chor we either need Independence from the invaders, or we should have an opinion poll for every rule that comes in place in Goa.
 
We have a false democracy in India and my State of Goa. We vote for scoundrels and they do whatever they want with our lives and with the natures given infrastructure of Goa.

Gobor said...

pedr-bab. ina democracy the chors have not come into power on their. Do not forget that democracy is also "by the people". It US GOENKAR VOTERS WHO ARE "CHORS".  AS FOR THE UNDECUCATED POLITICIANS "BY THE PEOPLE" MEANS "BUY THE PEOPLE"  AND ALL OF US ARE UP FOR SALE WITH DIFERENT PRICE TAGS

Dumpster Dude said...

The administration should wake up and address the problem of letting the sewage to the Rivers.

Dalia said...

The Garbage elected by the Goans is ruling Goa. The garbage dumpyard is located atop Porvorim hill. When Garbage rules Goa, why won't it stink everywhere? Who is responsible for this garbage, aren't we? If not all but we, Goans along with faithful migrants now Goans with Goan ID proof. Now we will call them Ghantis, don't we? Who gave them all these rights in Goa?

Perdro Lopes said...

My dear Gobor bab, no matter which person stands for election and win, as long as this person can do what he wants after winning is dangerous.

We should have people vote not only for ministers but also for the laws. We the people have no say in law making.

The only democratic country in the world is switzerland, here the people not only vote for persons in assembly or parlament, but also vote for the laws. The ministers have no say in law making.

Any voted minister who are allowed to make laws do as per their needs, not per the needs of the people.

Neville said...

The goan politicians are more interested in illegal mines, land grabs, acquisitions, MOI, 30% commissions and the new phenomenon called AC toilets, where again the discharge is sent directly to the rivers without any treatment whatsoever. They have spent enough taxpayers money on useless sewage treatment plants & garbage treatment plants whereby they have personally benefitted thru commissions. All in all they look after their own financial interests, with the least bother about the good governance, and garbage cleanup. Pity, it took just 50 years of this so called liberation for goans to be enslaved by the mess we are in now.

D.JUSTIN said...

Our elected babus are very busy in inaugrating sulabh toilets and they do not have any time to clear the garbage. When these toilet lovers comes to ask for your vote, splash the cowdung on their faces.

Salvador Seraulim said...

For Goa to be cleaned Who dirtied Goa? Our repeatedly elected politicians have deserted Goans, in favor of their Vote banks who have created filthy slums. Goan way of life is compromised by the non-Goans dumping garbagge wherever they feet like it, seeing this some of our Goans are doing the same. We have to first change ourselves before we can make changes around us. As long as we have Congress and BJP in Goa the changes will be a struggle.

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