PANAJI: To ensure that overall cleanliness is maintained for the G20 meetings, the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) has directed all urban and local bodies to collect garbage from the doorsteps of residential houses and commercial establishments regularly, and to monitor major roads for black spots and get them cleared immediately.
The GWMC has also directed the directorate of panchayats and the department of urban development to undertake the cleaning of internal village roads, nullahs, heritage sites, blackspots, and places of tourist importance in their respective jurisdictions.
Managing director of GWMC, Levinson Martins, said that the corporation has been regularly cleaning certain roads in the state since 2019, through its contractor.
Seven more G20 meetings are scheduled to be held in Goa between May and July, and the corporation has been entrusted with the sprucing up of certain routes that will be used by the G20 delegates.
“It is importance that cleanliness is maintained in the entire state. It is therefore directed that all the urban and rural local bodies in Goa undertake thorough clean-up drives in their respective jurisdictions,” said Martins.
He said that it has been observed that many village panchayats and municipal councils are not regularly cleaning roadsides and nullahs along internal stretches, as a result of which some of these places have become an eyesore.
“Also, due to the indiscriminate dumping of waste, many blackspots have been created,” said Martins.
“They should also ensure that the cleanliness is maintained and the resurfacing of blackspots is prevented. All urban local bodies and village panchayats shall ensure that highways and major roads are continuously monitored for black spots, and the same shall be cleared immediately,” said Martins.
Referring to the Goa Non-Biodegradable Control Act, 1996, Martins said officials of village panchayats and municipal bodies can impose fines. “It is directed that the officials of local bodies keep a strict vigil on such violators and take appropriate action under the Act,” he said.
