Team Goemkarponn
MAPUSA: Mounting concerns over the disposal of waste at Mapusa’s wholesale fruit and vegetable market have prompted the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) to initiate suo motu proceedings, seeking accountability from the authorities responsible for maintaining the premises.
The Commission has called for explanations from five senior authorities, including the Goa Chief Secretary, the Director of Municipal Administration, the Chief Officer of Mapusa Municipal Council, the Member Secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and the North Goa Collector. Notices have been issued directing them to submit their replies by November 6.
The proceedings stem from a citizen’s report drawing attention to the unhygienic state of the Mapusa Sub-Yard, an important trading centre that attracts wholesale buyers, small-scale vendors, restaurant operators and household consumers from across Mapusa and the surrounding Bardez region.
The complaint points to an accumulation of market refuse across different sections of the premises, including areas used for the movement of goods and customers. Vegetable leftovers and spoiled fruit are reportedly being left unattended, while discarded packaging materials and other non-biodegradable items have added to the waste burden.
Among the materials reportedly found strewn around the market are plastic crates, thermocol packaging, tarpaulin pieces and other discarded items. The combination of decomposing organic matter and plastic waste has raised concerns about the upkeep of a facility that witnesses heavy daily public and commercial activity.
The Commission’s intervention places the issue before multiple government agencies, bringing into focus their respective roles in sanitation management, waste disposal and environmental regulation.
The matter is listed for consideration on November 6. The GHRC will examine the responses received from the authorities and consider the remedial measures proposed to tackle the waste accumulation and improve conditions at the sub-yard.
