Staff Reporter
Ponda/Mapusa
In a bid to address the persistent issue of roadside garbage dumping, Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) and Anjuna Panchayat have decided to install CCTV cameras at strategic locations.
PMC Chairperson Anand Naik said that two solar-powered cameras would be installed within 15 days, with plans to expand the initiative across the town in the coming months.
Naik said the initial installations would prioritise the Talem Durghabat area and the Approach Road in Upper Bazaar, both identified as garbage dumping hotspots.
On the other hand, Anjuna panchayat will deploy 20 surveillance cameras.
Sarpanch Laxmidas Chimulkar said that the panchayat has also decided to impose a fine of Rs 20,000 on violators dumping garbage within the panchayat
jurisdiction.
Despite regular garbage collection services, the village has been grappling with illegal dumping, particularly at black spots, which has caused inconvenience to residents. Locals have attributed the problem largely to commercial establishments, including restaurants, shacks, and clubs, which often fail to hand over their waste to contractors due to timing conflicts.
Currently, Anjuna generates around 17 quintals of garbage daily, comprising both wet and dry waste. However, the collection process faces challenges. Contractors operate in the morning, while many commercial establishments function in the evenings and remain closed during collection hours. This mismatch often leaves garbage uncollected, leading to illegal dumping and the creation of black spots.
In addition to tackling waste management, PMC has also taken steps to recover outstanding rents from shop tenants who have defaulted on payments.
The Ponda municipality chairperson said that in the past month, PMC has intensified its efforts, recovering Rs 33 lakh from rent defaulters out of the Rs 3.36 crore pending dues.
