The issue has once again come into sharp focus after several CCTV cameras installed at over 15 identified garbage black spots across Margao reportedly remained non-functional for the past few days due to non-payment of bills to a cellular service provider.
Sources informed that an amount of around Rs 30,000 had remained pending for some time as the payment was not cleared by the civic body, resulting in disruption of connectivity and rendering the surveillance cameras ineffective. Taking advantage of the situation, unscrupulous elements allegedly resumed indiscriminate dumping of garbage at several vulnerable locations in the city.
However, the crisis was averted on Wednesday after the MMC cleared the pending dues following strict instructions issued by Chief Officer Madhu Narvekar, sources added.
While the restoration of the CCTV network has brought temporary relief, the civic body now faces another major challenge ” establishing an effective monitoring mechanism to ensure timely action against violators.
Sources said the CCTV surveillance system was earlier monitored by a team headed by outgoing Municipal Engineer Deepak Desai. After reviewing the footage, the MMC had evolved a mechanism wherein complaints against offenders were forwarded to the police for further action.
Civic officials, however, admitted that merely installing cameras would serve little purpose unless a dedicated system is put in place to continuously monitor the footage and identify violators.
“When the civic body has spent lakhs of rupees on installing CCTV cameras at garbage black spots, there is certainly a need for a proper monitoring system. Dedicated officials should scan the footage regularly and promptly initiate action through the police against those found dumping waste illegally,” a senior civic official said.
The officials further pointed out that illegal waste dumping continues to remain a major civic challenge in Margao despite repeated awareness drives and cleanliness campaigns undertaken by the municipality.
Residents from several areas have also expressed concern over recurring garbage piles at prominent black spots, stating that the situation not only affects the city’s image but also poses health and environmental hazards.
Sources said the MMC may now consider streamlining the surveillance monitoring process by assigning dedicated staff or creating a separate control mechanism to ensure round-the-clock vigilance at identified dumping hotspots.
The effectiveness of the CCTV initiative, officials believe, will ultimately depend not just on the installation of cameras, but on consistent monitoring and swift enforcement against offenders.
