Many of Goa’s villages, save for the more urbanised ones, do not have a garbage collection and segregation programme of any sort. The sleepy village of Aldona,
however, strives to be different. Because not only does it have a proper door-to-door waste collection system in place, the locals have even given the authorities the go-ahead to collect garbage tax of Rs 150 per annum from the next financial year.
Nevertheless, even considering the local authorities ensure that the garbage collection is implemented in an efficient manner, this is not where the process of managing waste ends, but where it begins. All garbage needs to be segregated further before it can be processed. Different components of waste have very different properties. Household waste can broadly be divided into two categories- wet waste and dry waste and both call for different methods of disposal and recycling. Thus, grouping waste by type allows for proper processing and/or storage. If not achieved at source, however, waste segregation calls for huge manpower, space, and segregation equipment. This is an added drain on resources and revenues.
So while Aldona must be lauded for having taken the first steps in a positive direction, all that’s left now is for the village to further streamline its garbage collection drive to save time, energy and money.
