BY JOAO SOUSA M | NT

PANAJI: In an effort to find a temporary solution to the garbage problem in villages, the directorate of panchayats has appointed a private contractor to collect plastic waste from villages.

The move by the directorate of panchayats attains significance as the village panchayats have been pulled up by the High Court for failing to address the garbage issue.

The director of Panchayats, Mr Menino D’souza speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’ said that the contract has been tendered to one Mr Inderjeet Kurgaskar. He said that the panchayats have been directed to make door-to-door collection of plastic waste, which is later collected by the contractor.

Mr D’souza said plastic waste disposal is a major problem in many villages with many panchayats not having sufficient space for a garbage treatment plant.

The contractor, Mr Kurgaskar said that the response is tremendous in South Goa while it is lukewarm in the North with only a few panchayats taking interest. He further said that he collects plastic garbage even from distant villages of Loliem, Navelim and coastal villages of Majorda, Colva, etc.

Elaborating on how the garbage is treated, Mr Kurgaskar said that the plastic garbage is segregated into plastic bags and plastic bottles. He said the plastic bottles are then sent to Ratnagiri area for re-cycling while the plastic bags are sent to Hangeir Bio Energies Pvt Ltd in Pune. He further said that presently he segregates the garbage at his site and added that the government has promised to give him a site in Tirsulem industrial estate to segregate the plastic waste. Mr Kurgaskar has two vehicles which go to practically every corner of the state to collect the plastic waste. During monsoon, the waste cannot be segregated and hence it is stored at an open site.

Mr Kurgaskar further stated that the entire garbage problem of North Goa can be solved and that he has the capability to set up a full-fledged garbage disposal plant in North Goa, however, the government will have to provide the land. He said the garbage treatment plant will require around 25,000 sq mt for segregation of wet and dry waste, and setting up of the treatment plant.