Ramesh Savaikar
Bicholim: For five years now, Rajendra G Savaikar has been conducting a daily cleanliness drive at the Bicholim bus stand. He is among a handful of garbage warriors, or ‘Swachhata Doots’ as they are called with respect, who have taken it upon themselves to clean spaces such as bus stands and gardens in the town and nearby areas. However, despite their efforts, the ‘Beautiful Bicholim, Clean Bicholim’ remains distant.
Locals, upset with the open dumping of waste, blamed the reluctance of many residents to cooperate with the garbage collection system implemented by the Bicholim Municipal Council (BMC). Despite the placement of large barrels in each ward for waste disposal, some residents continue to dump garbage beside them, leading to unsightly heaps, they said.
“Since last month, garbage has been dumped near the new Bicholim bridge along the riverbank at night. When set on fire, the rotting waste emits a stench. Despite complaints to the authorities, no action has been taken against the miscreants,” said senior citizen and cleanliness activist Suryakant Dessai.
Prior to this, the waste was being dumped along the riverbank near the old bridge. However, when alert citizens raised their voices in protest, seeking action against perpetrators, the black spot shifted to the vicinity of the new bridge where miscreants bring waste in carrier tempos for dumping. “Despite complaints to the Bicholim Municipal Council (BMC), no action has been taken against the unidentified culprits, nor has a police complaint been filed,” said locals.
Similar incidents were reported in the past along the Bicholim-Sankhali highway near Kulan. However, after media reports highlighted the issue, the illegal dumping stopped.
Local youths and senior citizens who have taken it upon themselves to clean the bus stand said that despite their efforts, the area is littered again within a day, with plastic bottles, bags, and gutka packets strewn around. Volunteers spend an hour every day cleaning the bus stand, yet they fill at least 10 bags with waste daily.
Bicholim has a garbage processing plant at Lakhere with sufficient capacity to handle the town’s waste. However, the BMC does not permit the treatment of garbage brought from outside the municipal area, which could be a reason, said locals, why waste is brought in from outside the municipal jurisdiction and dumped on the banks of the river.
Former Bicholim MLA Naresh Sawal said, “The BMC and other authorities must act strictly against those who do not cooperate with the garbage collection system. Cleanliness habits should be instilled from a young age, with teachers playing a vital role,” he said.
“People caught littering should face heavy fines, and the authorities should maintain strict vigilance,” said Savaikar.
Social worker Cajetan Vaz echoed similar sentiments. “Blaming authorities won’t help. Every citizen must ensure their surroundings remain clean to protect public health,” he said.
BMC chairperson Vijaykumar Natekar said, “Every councillor must focus on maintaining cleanliness in their respective wards, and the public must cooperate. Bicholim’s garbage treatment plant at Lakhere is fully operational and capable of handling the town’s waste efficiently,” he said.
Meanwhile, under a new initiative in the Mayem constituency, panchayats will be provided with waste treatment units with sheds to store collected waste. Mayem panchayat is already benefiting from this scheme, while panchayats in Piligao, Narve, Karapur-Sarvan, and Van-Mavlinge-Kudchire will receive similar facilities, said local MLA Premendra Shet.
