Should desilting be done on priority or should there be systems in place to stop flow of sewage into the river first
Photo Credits: margao stories
Photos show the Old market and SGPDA storm water nullahs carrying sewage water into River Sal. A damaged sewage chamber being connected to a water nullah at Sirvodem which empties into River Sal. Pics: Santosh Mirajkar
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Citizens, however, questioned the desilting of the river without first putting in place the infrastructure to stop the continuous flow of sewage into River Sal at different points along the Mungul-Khareband-Sirvodem stretch. While the Kudchadkar storm water nullah carries raw sewage water into River Sal every day, the Old market and the SGPDA storm water nullahs empties itself in the River Sal in the absence of any sewerage infrastructure worth its name with the northern main Fatorda line down in the dumps
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As the department of Captain of Ports is bracing up to take up the work of desilting the long neglected River Sal, questions are being raised in many quarters whether the river will be rid of the stench with raw sewage continuing to find its way into the river in the absence of the sewerage infrastructure in place in the city. While the Captain of Ports maintained that its job is purely to desilt the river and trim the mangroves intruding into the river course, the Sewage Corporation officials were candid in admitting that it will take a couple of months to put the required infrastructure in place before flow of sewage water into River Sal is completely stopped, reports Guilherme Almeida
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Captain of Ports Hydrographic Surveyor Sagar Rai has been categorical in saying that the CoP brief at the River Sal is to desilt the river and trim the mangroves and ensure that both these measures result in the free flow of water in the river. Questions, however, remained unanswered. What about the stench emanating from the river? Will the exercise also help in the decontamination of the river and cap the nuisance staring at the residents along the river banks? When these questions were posed to Rai, he sounded categorical in saying that the question of decontamination and stopping the sewage flow into the river rests with other departments. “My brief is only to remove the silt deposited in the river between the Khareband bridge and Telaulim bridge. Decontamination is an issue to be resolved by other departments," Rai told The Goan.
Citizens, however, questioned the desilting of the river without first putting in place the infrastructure to stop the continuous flow of sewage into River Sal at different points along the Mungul-Khareband-Sirvodem stretch. While the Kudchadkar storm water nullah carries raw sewage water into River Sal every day, the Old market and the SGPDA storm water nullahs empties itself in the River Sal in the absence of any sewerage infrastructure worth its name with the northern main Fatorda line down in the dumps.
Inquiries by The Goan has revealed that while the Sewerage Corporation is bracing up to connect the Kudchadkar storm water nullah to the Sewage Treatment Plant at Sirvodem within a month’s time, no such facility is being put in place at the Khareband-Sirvodem border where a water nullah empties sewage in the river. Says Sewerage Corporation Managing Director, Arvind Patil: “As far as the Kudchadkar hospital storm water nullah is concerned, we will soon connect the same to the STP plant. Sewage flowing into the nullah will be pumped directly into the STP. This will stop the sewage flow directly into River Sal."
What’s, however, worrying is the storm water nullahs carrying sewage water into River Sal at Khareband and Sirvodem, besides the Old market and SGPDA nullahs since sewage water flowing in these water channels finds its way into the river.
Residents of Madel, Alister Rodrigues and Thomas Miranda, while welcoming the River Sal desilting between Khareband and Telaulim bridge, wondered how the authorities plan to tackle the fish sludge and sewage flowing into the river near the wholesale fish market at Madel. “Pollutants and sludge from the wholesale fish market flow into the river for want of a ETP in the market. We feel that the authorities ought to have first put the basic infrastructure in place before taking up the river desilting," they said.
When The Goan visited Sirvodem-Khareband area, local residents Casia and Roque Vaz, pointed out to a pipe connected from a damaged sewage chamber to the adjoining water nullah to flush out the sewage into the river. “We are forced to face unbearable stink from the damaged sewage line. Why are the authorities not repairing the damaged line and give relief to the people from the stink. Along with desilting, the authorities should also decontaminate the river by completing the underground line," they said.
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Northern main line may negate attempts to decontaminate river
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While Sewerage Corporation of Goa plans to complete sewage works in Margao’s South Zone, which is expected to stop flow of sewage water into River Sal, the dilapidated northern main line, which is craving for attention, may negate all attempts being made to decontaminate the river.
For, sewage flowing from the northern main line finds its way into the river via the storm water nullahs with the government yet to accord a green signal for the replacement of the line at an estimated cost of Rs 80 crore.
Corporation officials told The Goan that the government should take up at least on top priority to stretch the underground line between Khareband bridge to Ambaji and stop the flow of sewage water into River Sal. “We have impressed upon the government to take up work on the replacement of the northern main sewage line between Ambaji-Khareband costing Rs 26-30 crore to stop the sewage from flowing into the river," a senior Corporation official told The Goan.
During his recent visit to Colva, PWD Minister, Sudin Dhavalikar had announced that the government would soon take up work on the replacement of Fatorda’s northern main line at a cost of Rs 26 crore. Inquiries conducted by The Goan, however, revealed that the tender for the sewage replacement has not yet been floated by the Corporation till date.
