Goa, Oct. 4 -- A young contractor from Savordem has taken up an ambitious mission to clean the Zuari River after witnessing the extent of garbage and plastic waste dumped along its basin and mangrove areas.

Vishwesh Desai, proprietor of Prithwi Construction, has removed around four tonnes of waste from the river over the past one-and-a-half months with the help of his labourers. The waste includes plastic bags, bottles, clothes, tube lights and used injection syringes, among other discarded material.

The garbage collected during the clean-up has been segregated into different categories and stacked along the riverside, drawing the attention of locals and passers-by.

Desai said he was disturbed by the condition of the river after visiti...