The dirtiest of them all

SIRVODEM POND
What’s wrong: Located on the way to Navelim, this pond is heavily contaminated with waste and sewage. The place has now become a breeding ground for reptiles.
Councillor’s take: Ward no. 14 councillor Dayanand Devulkar says, “The pond falls under the classification of comunidade land, so there is nothing that the Margao municipal council can do to rehabilitate it.”
What can be done: Clinton Vaz, waste management consultant, says, “The input sources of waste in the pond need to be connected to the sewerage treatment plant at Sirvodem and the panchayat it comes under needs to conduct 100% door-to-door waste collection.Once we stop the sources of pollution we can go ahead and clean the pond. Due to excessive pollution there is high infection of algae and water hyacinth in the pond which causes depletion of oxygen. Once these excesses are removed, the pond will clean itself naturally.”
BELOW RAILWAY FLYOVER, CALCONDA
What’s wrong: People from thickly-populated areas like Navelim, Colva, and Benaulim throw garbage by the side of the road at Calconda.
Councillor’s take: Ward no. 16 councillor Pratima Coutinho says, “That place is not a dump yard. People should have the civic sense not to pollute the area. If there are no means to dispose garbage in their respective regions then something must be done about that.”
What is being done: Coutinho says, “People have been hired to photograph those dumping garbage. After the litterers are identified, complaints are filed at the police station and they are being fined by the municipality.”
CAMPAL CREEK
What’s wrong: Also known as the St Inez nullah, this almost 7-km-long creek is mostly a melancholic stretch of stagnant polluted water. With no retaining wall near Sonali building, people living in a nearby ghetto release wet and dry wastes into the creek. A thick layer of silt on the creek bed has killed its aquatic life. The place is now a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Though attempts have been made in the past to raise awareness and the corporation of the city of Panaji (CCP) showed support, nothing has been done so far.
What can be done: Patricia Pinto, social activist, says, “It’s a big issue of sewage, garbage and encroachment of the creek. Areas which are dumping garbage need to be identified and people there should be advised to discontinue dumping. Once that is done, the creek can be cleaned.”
KTC BUS STAND, PANAJI
What’s wrong: People urinate and defecate at the bus stand despite two Sulabh Sauchalayas in the premises. Dry and wet wastes from shops are dumped around the place, and heaps of paper and plastic are burnt every day causing air pollution.
Councillor’s take: Ward no. 28 councillor Suresh Naik Chopdekar says, “Shopkeepers at the Panaji bus stand should be more responsible. They should stop dumping plastic cups and straws in the vicinity. We have given instructions to GSIDC to construct new toilets and a drainage system to deal with the problem of open urination. A new sewage treatment plant, a Rs 7 crore-project, is also expected to come up soon at Patto plaza. We are currently pondering over the issue of garbage management and will find a solution to it soon.”
What can be done: Sanjith Rodrigues, commissioner, CCP, says, “Civic policing is one aspect and mindset change is another. There are cleaners who tidy the bus stand everyday yet people continue to litter the place. We have done whatever we could and are waiting for people to cooperate.”
ASSAGAO-SIOLIM ROAD
What’s wrong: Dry waste and alcohol bottles from hotels in Morjim, Ashvem, and Mandrem are carried to this stretch in vehicles and dumped in the wee hours. Part of the road comes under the jurisdiction of the Assagao panchayat, another is under Siolim panchayat, while yet another is under Mapusa municipal council (MMC). Due to uncertainty over whose responsibility it is to clear the garbage, residents of Badem, Anjuna, and Vagator formed a 10-member committee to resolve the issue. But lack of financial support is an obstruction to carry out the operation.
What can be done: Lourdes Sudhir, a member of the committee, says, “The two panchayats and the municipality can jointly take responsibility and divide duties associated with clearing the place. The 10-member committee can be offered assistance to carry forward their initiative. CCTV cameras can be installed in these areas to identify the people dumping garbage and the delinquents can be fined.”
DESHPANDE ROAD, VASCO
What’s wrong: Shops dump garbage on the road despite door-to-door collection in some parts of the Vasco market
Councillor’s take: Ward no. 11 councillor Krishna Salkar says, “Door-to-door collection has been implemented in the area for the past two months and garbage is being segregated into dry and wet wastes. Yet, shopkeepers find it a burden to pay Rs 40 for the garbage collection; instead they pack the non-segregated garbage in bags and dump it into the heap.”
What is being done: Salkar says, “I have been going from shop to shop personally to convince shopkeepers to be more responsible. I am hopeful that there will be some change as a result of this activity.”
DAVORLIM-ARLEM BYPASS
What’s wrong: People from nearby areas like Gogol, Power House, Vidhyanagar, Aquem Baix, discard domestic wastes onto this road. None of the panchayats appear to be in charge of the place.
What can be done: Abdulmatin Daud Carol, social activist, says, “If no panchayat takes responsibility then a private agency can be hired by the Margao municipal council to initiate cleaning of the place. Round-the-clock police patrolling can be done to ensure that people don’t dump there anymore. The police have to be stringent about their duty or be held accountable.”
CAMRA BHAT, CARANZALEM
What’s wrong: Apart from its residents, Camra bhat houses migrants living in shanties who allegedly discharge garbage and sewage into the creek. The nullah, which is part of the Campal creek, is a cesspool of contamination and waste. Most of the people who contribute to the menace are allegedly those who work in CCP as cleaners.
Councillor’s take: Ward no. 2 councillor Theresa Barretto says, “People are ignorant and dump garbage every time we try to clean it. Worse still, they openly defecate in the area. It is a joint effort and everyone should be responsible for the cleanliness of the place. Camra bhat was cleaned recently with the help of Rotary, Panaji, 90 garbage bags full of waste were collected, yet people continue to litter the place.”
What can be done: Barretto says, “People have to be educated about the need for cleanliness. The nullah needs to be dredged and purified. A retaining wall can be built to fence the nullah and security guards can be hired to man the place. House-to-house awareness is a must.”
RUMDAMOL HOUSING BOARD, DAVORLIM
What’s wrong: Though the municipality has kept garbage bins, litter is still strewn around instead of in them. Dumped food waste attract stray cattle that topple the bins to access the food, further messing up the place.
Sarpanch’s take: Sarpanch Murtuzah Kuknoor says, “The garbage is not from Rumdamol housing board; we have door-to-door garbage collection for residents. Dry garbage is burnt in an open ground nearby and wet garbage is composted. It’s the people from residential areas in the neighbouring Bikarpale area of Davorlim who are polluting the place. Nothing can be done unless plastic is banned.
What can be done: Abdulmatin Daud Carol, social activist, says, “Big litter bins that are anchored to the ground can be constructed with trapdoors so that cattle can neither access nor topple them. Door-to-door garbage collection can be initiated in areas where it hasn’t been introduced yet.”
Inputs by Gary Azavedo