Daijiworld Media Network - Margao

Margao, Jan 10: Margao Municipal Council’s (MMC) beautification initiative has begun yielding visible results, with three of the town’s 10 identified garbage black spots being completely cleaned up.

MMC officials said the turnaround comes months after the civic body launched a strict drive against illegal waste dumping in September 2025. Despite regular surveillance and action against violators, certain locations continued to be used as dumping grounds, especially during night hours.

“These spots were major eyesores as they are located along busy roads. People continued dumping waste despite monitoring. We therefore decided to change the approach by beautifying these areas,” a senior MMC official said.

The cleaned-up locations include spots opposite the PWD office at Fatorda, near the Durga petrol pump at Fatorda, and at Ravanfond. As part of the initiative, MMC first repaired damaged footpaths by laying pavers and improving the overall appearance of the sites. This was followed by the installation of warning boards and CCTV cameras.

“The idea was that a clean and well-maintained space would discourage people from littering. The strategy worked effectively,” the official added.

At Ravanfond, the beautification work was carried out using corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds before warning signage was installed. During the earlier crackdown, MMC not only penalised offenders but also made them clean up the waste they had illegally dumped.

Encouraged by the success, MMC officials said the beautification model would be replicated at the remaining black spots wherever feasible. As part of the first phase, CCTV cameras have been installed at 11 locations across the town to deter illegal dumping.