Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Deposit Refund Scheme (Goa DRS) continued its statewide awareness and community engagement programme with an awareness drive held at the Sai Baba Temple in Borim, where nearly 200 residents and visitors participated in live demonstrations and learned about responsible waste disposal practices.
As part of the ongoing Information, Education and Communication (IEC) campaign, Goa DRS officials conducted hands-on demonstrations of the Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) and handheld collection device, helping citizens understand how the upcoming scheme will enable consumers to return used non-biodegradable packaging material and receive a deposit refund.
Participants interacted with the equipment and gained practical knowledge about the return process, eligible packaging categories and the environmental benefits of responsible disposal. The demonstration also explained key features of the system, including QR-code based identification, container returns and digital refund processing.
Umesh Naik, Secretary of the Sai Baba Temple Board, welcomed the initiative and said, “After experiencing the scheme, I feel this is a good initiative by the Government. The effort being made to take the scheme across Goa is commendable. RVMs should be present in every village so that people use them instead of littering plastic and glass bottles.”
Members of the Sai Baba Temple Board also expressed confidence in the scheme after experiencing the demonstrations and indicated their willingness to provide space for an RVM within the temple premises, helping residents of the Borim Panchayat area access the facility.
Through such community engagements, Goa DRS aims to familiarise citizens with the upcoming system while encouraging behavioural change through financial incentives linked to responsible disposal.
The Borim awareness drive is part of a series of outreach programmes being conducted across Goa ahead of the scheme’s rollout. Similar demonstrations have previously been held at Cashew Fest in Panaji, Spirit of Goa at Colva, the FC Goa versus Mohun Bagan match at Fatorda Stadium, the Assolna and Salvador Parish Festival, and several village panchayats including Nadora, Sal, Anjuna, Loliem-Polem, Arambol, Agonda, Tivrem-Orgaon, Assagao, Taleigao, Azossim and Morjim, along with the Panjim Potluck community event.
