Goa is literally sitting on a ticking time bomb in the form of garbage heaps seen all around the pristine coastal State. It’s high time that affirmative actions are taken before this bomb bursts on our faces. We can’t afford such a disaster as being a tourism State, a lot is at stake – State’s image, revenue and people’s health being on the top of the list. While efforts are being put to diffuse this proverbial time bomb in some ways, but is it enough?
As one of India’s premier tourist destinations, Goa attracts millions of visitors annually, further burdening a waste management system already struggling with inefficiencies. The State generates approximately 800 tonnes of solid waste per day, with locals contributing around 600 grams of waste per person.
While efforts by environmental activists and private waste management firms like ‘vRecycle Services’ have managed to recycle approximately 200 tonnes of waste monthly, this only scratches the surface of the problem. As founder, Clinton Vaz explains, highlighting the risks of improper waste handling, community support has been crucial, but there’s a critical need for more systematic change.
“We divert around 200 tonnes of Goa’s garbage to recycling every month. But a lot of waste ends up in villages, where locals burn it. This releases toxins, impacting the environment and health of the people,” Vaz said.
Despite awareness of these issues, widespread public compliance with waste segregation remains a challenge, and the consequences of this negligence ripple out to impact local water sources. Untreated waste produces a leachate that seeps into the groundwater, contaminating wells and agricultural fields, which serve as lifelines for rural communities.
Overburdened Waste Management Infrastructure
Goa’s waste management system is composed of several waste treatment facilities that serve both urban and rural areas. Two major treatment plants, located in Saligao and Cacora, process waste for North and South Goa, respectively. However, these plants lack the capacity to handle the state’s daily waste load. The Saligao plant, for instance, can only process up to 250 tonnes of waste per day, creating a significant bottleneck in the waste treatment process.
Roque Mascarenhas, a citizen activist for proper waste management in Sonsodo, described the dire situation, pointing out that several municipalities, such as Margao, generate waste quantities that far exceed local processing capacity. Adding to this logistical shortfall, malfunctioning machinery and supply shortages exacerbate waste collection and treatment delays.
“The solution to waste management begins with segregation at source. But even in villages like Curchorem, there’s little initiative to enforce it. This has left waste management in a pathetic state,” Mascarenhas said.
Neglect and Mismanagement in Rural Panchayats
The administrative responsibility for waste management in Goa is split between urban municipalities and rural panchayats, with the latter often struggling to fulfill this role effectively. Many panchayats have yet to implement basic infrastructure for waste collection and segregation, leaving villagers without proper disposal options and resorting to illegal dumping.
Despite having bylaws, such as the Goa Non-Biodegradable Garbage Control Act of 1996, in place to address waste mismanagement, enforcement is weak, and violations occur regularly.
In Sancoale, a village notorious for its waste mismanagement issues, piles of garbage can be seen in almost every corner. Social workers have voiced concerns, stating that the village lake, wells and even agricultural areas are heavily contaminated due to the accumulated waste. Reports of financial mismanagement in the handling of waste budgets further suggest that local officials may be diverting funds intended for waste management.
“If you stand anywhere in Sancoale, you will see garbage lying in all four directions. Garbage segregation is not done in here. But the panchayat pays a bill of Rs 15 lakh to the contractor every month. The audit report of the government has also shown this mess. All this Garbage flows in the village during rains and spreads in the fields,”
Maurelio Carvalho, member of Sancoale Panchayat, said.
Today the farmers in Sancoale have given up farming as the agriculture fields have become permanently barren due to the fact that plastic has come to the fields.
“Lake, drinking water wells of our village have become polluted. Panchayat, however, is embroiled in corruption in the name of waste management,” Carvalho alleged.
Role of Tech in Waste
Processing – A Partial Solution
Goa’s waste treatment facilities in Saligao and Cacora utilise advanced technology to convert waste into compost, recyclables, and even electricity. However, the two major plants, which process 60 tonnes of wet waste and 40 tonnes of dry waste daily, are insufficient to meet the needs of a state grappling with 800 tonnes of waste daily.
The Cacora plant, serving 30 village panchayats and four municipal councils, has seen its share of challenges due to overuse and equipment malfunctions. However, if properly maintained, facilities like these could help Goa minimise its environmental footprint by producing reusable by-products from waste.
Mascarenhas and other activists suggest that the government should prioritise expanding these facilities while also setting up additional waste processing centres in North Goa.
Shoukan Teli, Deputy Manager, Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC), said, “The Sancoale plant has a capacity of 250 tonnes, yet daily we process 300 tonnes of wet and dry waste, which comes here from Pernem, Bardez and some parts of Tiswadi taluka. Some big panchayats bring us the garbage themselves. Some panchayats dump the waste in their material recovery centre (MRF), we pick it up from there with our trucks. The waste of most panchayats in North Goa comes here.”
Human Cost of Goa’s Waste Crisis
One aspect of Goa’s waste crisis that often goes unnoticed is the toll it takes on the health and safety of the workers responsible for waste collection and processing.
Waste workers face daily health hazards, from exposure to toxic materials to dealing with improperly discarded items like diapers and sanitary napkins. Despite these risks, they are often left without adequate safety equipment, and their demands for improved protection are routinely ignored by local officials and contractors alike.
Clinton Vaz highlighted this issue, urging citizens to play their part by properly sorting their waste to facilitate safer handling.
“We often get waste mixed with hazardous items. If people could simply separate these, it would make our jobs far easier. We’re trying to handle 200 tonnes a day, yet much of this waste remains unsorted, putting our workers at risk,” Vaz said.
A Way Forward: Community Engagement and Government Accountability
The solution to Goa’s waste problem is multifaceted, requiring cooperation from all levels of society. Waste segregation at the household level has proven effective in regions with active community participation.
In Goa, nearly 20,000 households now compost their organic waste at home, contributing to local waste reduction efforts. Yet, this accounts for a small fraction of the waste generated daily, and greater community outreach and education are essential to foster widespread adoption.
Government intervention is crucial, particularly in rural areas where panchayats are often ill-equipped to handle waste independently. By investing in smaller, community-based waste collection and treatment centres and enforcing fines for improper disposal, the state can begin to address its waste crisis at the grassroots level. Local panchayats could also benefit from establishing partnerships with NGOs and private firms like ‘vRecycle Services’, which have experience in waste management and community engagement.
A Continuous, Collective Effort
The challenges facing Goa reflect a broader issue plaguing urban and rural India: the need for sustainable waste management practices that prioritise health, environmental preservation, and accountability.
If stakeholders across government, private, and civil society work collaboratively to address waste generation and disposal at the source, Goa may one day achieve Gandhi’s vision of a clean, resilient India.
By embracing sustainable practices and encouraging community accountability, Goans have the opportunity to transform the state’s waste management crisis into a model of effective environmental stewardship. Such a transformation would ensure a cleaner, greener Goa round-the-year.