Goa Govt plans to monitor waste collection through an app

PANAJI, Goa: The development of an app to track municipal waste collection has been considered by the Government of Goa, since despite their door-to-door waste collection efforts, black areas still exist.

A senior official said, “Every residential or commercial unit will be assigned a barcode […] With the app, from a centrally monitored system, we will be able to see how each civic body is executing its duty of picking up waste.”

The officer further added that the state government has been in talks with an agency based in Kerala, to introduce an app that will help stop the dumping of waste in open spaces by the public as waste pick-up will be checked.

According to the officer, authorities have also decided to install transfer bins in specific areas across the state in order to address the issue properly and it discourages people to throw trash anywhere and everywhere. However, the official mentioned that, had panchayats taken some steps against littering in open spaces, this problem wouldn’t have arisen. “Panchayats can install CCTV cameras or resort to other methods to nab people who throw waste in the open, but no such measures were taken,” he said.

The official said the slackness of panchayats or municipal bodies will not be taken lightly any longer. He said, “At times, it is seen that contractors appointed by panchayats are at fault, and responsible for dumping waste.” The option will be given to a civic body to engage a contractor from among those empanelled by the government.

The official said that the next job for panchayats is wet waste collection and its treatment. To date, over 20 panchayats have been collecting wet waste. “The government has set up a facility for wet waste treatment for panchayats, but some have been uncooperative in making them functional,” he said.