Panaji corporation to deploy night squad to check public littering

Panaji: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) is making efforts to deploy night squads to address public littering around black spots and other areas in the city. Despite implementing 16-way waste segregation in the city and installing CCTV cameras around the black spots, public littering still persists. An official said the plans are in the early stages and will be implemented around Nov-Dec.The night squad will comprise a municipal inspector, two CCP workers, and a police officer, and will be assigned to these dumping spots at night. Anyone spotted littering will be fined.“We have noticed the waste is not dumped as much during the day as it is at night. Either commercial establishments are secretly dumping waste, or someone is not aware of how waste is disposed of. We want to catch these people at the scene,” said the official.A CCP official said the CCTV cameras installed across spots in the city have not given them a clear idea of the individuals who dump waste in open spaces.“The cameras we installed in five black spots in the city operate through solar energy. Even though the cameras are operational, we are facing technical issues with getting clear footage throughout the day. It is too blurry and unfocused. We are discussing adding a manual approach to the surveillance,” said the official.The corporation earlier identified several areas in the city that became dumping grounds for waste as black spots, such as the area around Jai Ram Complex in Neugi Nagar, an area near Junta House, and near Dnyan Setu. The official says that although the areas have been beautified, smaller portions of garbage can still be found.The increasing influx of tourists in Panaji has significantly contributed to a rise in littering, causing environmental pollution and putting pressure on the city’s waste management systems and natural beauty. This unchecked litter accumulation affects local wildlife, clogs drainage systems, and diminishes the overall experience for both residents and visitors alike.