Panaji, Aug 22 (IANS): Disposal of garbage and waste management is "an important and critical" challenge before the State, Goa Governor Bharat Vir Wanchoo said Thursday.

Wanchoo also said that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's assurance to set up three state of the art garbage treatment systems across Goa, would go a long way in making Goa a clean tourism destination.

Wanchoo was speaking at a meeting of the Goa State environment protection council meeting held at the Raj Bhavan.

"Disposal of garbage waste management is an important and critical challenge being faced by the Municipal corporation, Municipal councils and Panchayats," Wanchoo said.

Goa is being increasingly criticized by travel and tourism industry stakeholders for being unable to dispose garbage strewn near its beaches and other places frequented by tourists.

"The assurance of the chief minister on the Independence day to make Goa a clean tourist destination to set up state of the art garbage treatment plants at three places by next year is very encouraging," he said, hoping that the "administrative machinery will leave no stone unturned to put into place this assurance".

Parrikar has already announced the setting up of three hi-tech garbage treatment plants, which he has promised will cure Goa of its garbage ills permanently.

With tourism in Goa increasing nearly triple-fold in the last decade or so, the state has been unable to handle the several cubic tonnes of garbage, which the industry generates every day.

What has compounded the issue further has been the inability of the state government to identify a single site big enough to dispose garbage over the years.

As a result, it is not unusual to find piles of garbage strewn along the roads as well as near urban hubs in this beach tourism destination, visited by 2.6 million tourists annually.