NT Reporter
Margao
Under the Deposit Refund Scheme, Goa marked a major milestone during the state’s World Environment Day celebrations with the installation of its first Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) at INS Mandovi, Verem, and public demonstrations of the system at the KTC bus stand in Panaji.
The RVM at INS Mandovi was inaugurated in partnership with Prakriti, the naval station’s environment wing, marking the scheme’s first presence within a defence establishment. A presentation and live demonstration were organised for naval personnel and their families to familiarise them with the technology and its role in waste recovery and recycling.
Speaking at the inauguration, Shefali Nair, president of the Navy Welfare and Wellness Association (NWWA), said the Goa DRS is built around the concept of a “green loop”, where useful materials are recycled instead of becoming waste. She said responsible environmental practices adopted by families and communities can help create wider social change.
Nair said the installation was a pilot project under Goa DRS and the first such machine in the state. She added that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility and that the health of the oceans is linked to choices made on land.
At another World Environment Day programme jointly organised by the Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Goa State Pollution Control Board at the KTC bus stand in Panaji, Goa DRS installed RVMs for live demonstrations. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant attended the event as chief guest, along with ministers, MLAs and senior government officials.
According to Goa DRS, the two events highlighted the growing reach of the scheme and its efforts to promote a citizen-friendly circular economy for beverage packaging.
The organisation said 132 village panchayats and six urban local bodies have already issued no-objection certificates for the installation of RVMs, indicating the scheme’s steady progress from awareness generation to implementation across the state.
