NT NETWORK
PANAJI
Five cash-rich panchayats have failed to comply with the directions of the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court with regards to baling of solid waste, and are still asking for funds to purchase baling machine.
According to the panchayat department, these five panchayats of Taleigao, Colva, Chicalim, Morjim and Fatorpa-Quitol, which have neglected the High Court order, are high earners, and generate revenue in form of house tax, shop tax, construction licence fee, garbage fee, community hall rent and certificate fees.
An official from solid waste management cell, who has been entrusted with the task of following up with the local bodies on waste collection, said that resistance to pay garbage fee, non-availability of space for waste disposal and lack of funds for purchasing baling machine are the problems commonly cited by these five panchayats.
“The cost of a baling machine is around Rs 4 lakh, and it is onetime investment but these panchayats claim that they can’t afford to buy it. We have given them all the necessary help – preparing draft proposal to identify companies for seeking funds under the corporate social responsibility but they showed lackadaisical attitude,” the official added.
The efforts have been made by the panchayat department to convince the local bodies to start door-to-door collection, segregation, treatment and disposal of garbage, but it is felt that that the grant of Rs 1 lakh is not found to be attractive, he added.
The panchayats are provided with a financial support to make the state plastic free, and for that the Goa Panchayat (Grants to Tackle Garbage Menace) Scheme, 2014 is being implemented.
The grants given are based on the number of wards in the panchayat, and it is Rs 1.50 lakh for panchayat with 5 wards, Rs 2 lakh with 7 wards, Rs 3 lakh with 9 wards and Rs 4-5 lakh with 11 wards.
Of the 190 panchayats, only 45 per cent have started with door-to-door garbage collection.
Taleigao panchayat, which has earned Rs 1.15 crore in form of house tax till February last year, has been complaining of fund shortage to purchase a baling machine.
The panchayat has 11 wards and a population of 25,811. The panchayat has started daily door-to-door garbage collection and also collects fees for that but has so far dispatched 25.501 tonne of non-baled waste to the solid waste management cell.
The Chicalim panchayat has earned Rs 16.36 lakh in form of house tax in the previous year. The panchayat collects door-to-door garbage thrice a week but it has dispatched 208.249 tonne of non-baled dry waste to the cell.
Even though the Colva panchayat earns every year more than Rs 20 lakh in form of house tax, it has not started with door-to-door garbage collection, and as a result it has sent only 3.449 tonne of non-baled dry waste.
Morjim panchayat has sent 3.449 tonne of non- baled waste.
The Fatorpa-Quitol panchayat with a population of 3949 has earned a revenue of Rs 34,456 in form of house tax till February last year. The panchayat is carrying out door-to-door dry garbage collection.