PANAJI: After facing flak and accusations of corruption over the beach cleaning contracts, the state government has decided not to re-tender the beach cleaning contract and has asked the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) to take up the cleaning of beaches across the state on its own.
At the GTDC’s board meeting held on Monday, the corporation has decided to hire services of around 300 Goans on a contract basis for a period of one year for carrying out beach cleaning; this will be done on a pilot basis.
Informing the media about the decision, the GTDC chairman Nilesh Cabral said, “We had a board meeting on Monday wherein the board resolved not to re-tender the beach cleaning contract. Instead, we will take it up on our own. The state government has written to us that we as GTDC should undertake it as there was a big hue and cry about garbage management on our beaches.”
Stating that the GTDC will employ local youths – boys and girls, Cabral said that the GTDC will soon release advertisements to inviting applications to employ around 300 Goans to work with the GTDC to keep the beaches clean.
He further informed that technology would be used to monitor segregation at source and the collection of garbage as well as a system would be put in place to monitor the employees.
Informing that the corporation is launching the project on a pilot basis and if successful, a permanent mechanism would be put in place.
“The board has decided to formulate a policy wherein we will take locals on board for beach cleaning. For one year, we will see how they work. We will monitor them through a system which we will do on our own,” he added.
Responding to a question on the infrastructure and investments, he said that no major infrastructure would have to be created; however, major investment would only be towards paying the salaries of the employees.
He said, “Infrastructure required will be taken on rent which will include gloves, picking tools, dust bins and vehicles. For collection of the waste, the GTDC will have to tie up with the Department of Science and Technology, which is presently looking into the collection of garbage.”