Garbage menace still a concern for CCP as black spots abound

Panaji: Despite putting comprehensive measures in place for door-to-door collection, segregation, and garbage disposal in a scientific manner, the emergence of black spots in the capital has become a major concern for the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP).
Several areas in the city have become dumping grounds for waste, forming unsightly black spots.According to the civic body, some prominent locations affected by the issue include the vicinity of Alfran Plaza, the area opposite Geeta Bakery, and the surroundings of Disha School.
Other notable black spots can be found near Junta House, close to the water pumping station situated at Mala, and an area around the Jai Ram Complex located in Neugi Nagar. These sites have become eyesores, detracting from the overall cleanliness and aesthetic appeal of the city.
A senior CCP official said that “tonnes” of mixed waste, including plastic, are thrown along the roads late at night or early in the morning. He said that identifying the perpetrators has proven to be a challenge.
“We don’t know if the waste is from restaurants in Panaji or if someone from neighbouring places is bringing and dumping in the city,” he said.
The official said that CCP employees are diligently removing the waste from these problematic areas on a daily basis. However, each subsequent morning, waste is accumulated in the same locations.
He said the corporation collects waste from every restaurant and business across the city.
“Earlier we had caught two individuals and even penalised them; they had stopped dumping waste along the city roads. Now it has become a major problem for us, and we are unable to find the source of the waste,” he said.
The CCP has been eyeing a better score in the Swachh Survekshan 2024, for which the elimination of black spots is crucial.
The CCP official said that the corporation is now considering installing CCTV cameras at these locations to trace the culprits and added that strict action would be taken against them as per the prevailing laws.