Margao: Ahead of the September 1 rollout of the Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS), more than 100 reverse vending machines (RVMs) have been installed across Goa, including 69 in North Goa and 31 in South Goa. A total of 150 panchayats and eight urban local bodies have issued No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the scheme.
Some of the location where these machines have been installed are Candolim bandh, Sakhali fort, Anjuna panchayat, Morjim panchayat, Vishal Mega Mart in Chicalim, Agonda panchayat, Cola panchayat, near Mangeshi Temple at Veling-Priol, Bogmalo Beach and Salvador-do-Mundo panchayat.
The machines are being installed progressively at public places and other high-footfall locations, with awareness drives being conducted alongside the rollout. The scheme has received support from 150 panchayats and eight urban local bodies.
“DRS will encourage people to return used glass bottles, plastic bottles and cans for recycling while receiving a refund. Similar systems have worked well in other countries. This scheme will help us reduce that waste, and we hope this system works well,” said Nagoa-Verna sarpanch Gabriel Fernandes.
Deputy sarpanch of Chicolna-Bogmalo Lorena Cunha said the initiative was particularly important for a tourist destination like Goa.
At Verna, deputy sarpanch Marcelinho Marcos Faria said an RVM had been installed behind the panchayat building to make it convenient for residents to return waste.
“What we are seeing today is the result of sustained coordination between the authority, local governance bodies and industry. With our collection network in place and panchayats and ULBs firmly on board, Goa is on track to set a benchmark for how a state can operationalise a deposit refund system at speed and at scale,” said chairman of the Goa DRS Authority Dr Anthony de Sa. The industry has also responded positively, with nearly 1,000 hotels, restaurants and major alco-beverage firms across Goa onboarded to the scheme ahead of its September 1 launch.
