Panaji, Jul 30 (TOI): Chief minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said that the people of Goa should understand that “garbage is a much more serious problem than formalin”. Parrikar also said the government would provide sanitary pads to girls in schools, higher secondary schools and colleges. He said this would improve personal as well as community hygiene.

“Garbage is a much more serious problem than any adulteration in food items because in food items you have the choice of organic, but garbage is thrown on the roads and you have no choice,” Parrikar said.

At the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan review meeting called by governor Mridula Sinha, he said that cleanliness is all about mindset and it should become an habit.

Parrikar said that the government picks up around 600 tonnes of garbage from roadsides every year, and takes around 180 tonnes of it to the Saligao garbage treatment plant.

“Goa generates 1,000 tonnes of garbage,” he said. “Mumbai produces something like 4,000 to 5,000 tonne per day. Mumbai has developed garbage dumps and Goa does not want to have garbage dumps like Sonsoddo,” the chief minister added.

Develop habit of ‘swachhata’: CM

I don’t think we should develop more Sonsoddolike places. ‘Swachhata’ (cleanliness) is very important, but it can happen only if we develop a habit of it,” chief minister Manohar Parrikar said.

Parrikar said, the government is training children and schools to have added value education with ‘swachhata’ as one of its components this year. “Value education is taught in all primary schools, and it is so good that government-aided schools also are demanding it. Even Churchrun schools now want to start the course,” he said.

He said throwing garbage on roads may keep your house clean, but your surroundings would be dirty, and that that’s the reason one gets dengue and other vector-borne diseases. “Lets us join hands (to keep Goa clean),” he said. “Forget the competition — let us do this for our next generation.”

The meeting was organised in view of Swachh Survekshan (survey) conducted in seven villages of each district in Goa. During the survey, emphasis would be laid on the conditions of old toilets, government primary schools, anganwadis, primary health centres, panchayat bhavans, weekly markets, religious places and solid waste management plants.

The survey will be conducted from August 1 to August 31 by an independent agency, hired by the Union ministry of drinking water and sanitation.

The agency will visit villages and public places and obtain citizens’ feedback.