Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has finally publicly acknowledged that there is rampant corruption in Waste Management. But why did it take the Chief Minister so long to realise something that was known to all. We need to know what action the government plans to take to crack this corruption.

 

Over the years successive governments have miserably abdicated their bounden duty to address the issue of garbage disposal. Now people have been dumping their waste all over even throwing it brazenly into our rivers and lakes. The gravity of the situation has been highlighted by our High Court which has been monitoring the garbage crisis. It has even necessitated the creation of a Ministry for Waste Management.

 

The flow of high-end tourists into Goa has been adversely affected on account of our towns, villages and even the beaches being inundated with garbage. Over the years the Tourism department has spent crores on so called beach cleaning but what has been done is only the emptying of the State coffers.

 

Goa needs three or four more garbage disposal plants in order to ensure the proper handling of garbage across the State. Effective Garbage Disposal needs a complete and total solution looking at every aspect, including the type of Garbage, collection of Garbage and the Disposal and recycling of Garbage. Conventional and Modern methods of Garbage Collection and Disposal must be studied and put in place.

 

Furthermore, it needs a program of education with clearly laid down procedures for the people. There must also be an effective and honest policing of the guidelines coupled with punitive action for persistent wrongdoers. All this necessitates a sizable investment from the Government which must be fully utilized for the purpose intended and is an investment worth making.