MARGAO
Social activists from Sao Jose de Areal village on Friday made a fervent plea to Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira to intervene and save the villagers from the health hazard posed by the rampant discharge of sewage by a housing colony in the village.
Activists Freddy Travasso and Peter Viegas said sewage discharge from the housing colony has been flowing into the stormwater drains before reaching the fields, posing a nuisance and a health hazard to the villagers.
Peter said Areal villagers have been complaining to the authorities since 2022 but in vain. “There have been inspections galore, but no solution has been forthcoming,” he said, adding that the directions issued by the Curtorim Primary Health Officer to the PWD to disconnect the water supply to the housing colony over a month and a half ago have gone a-begging.
Travasso echoed similar sentiments. He said the Health Officer’s order has been kept on hold following intervention by the outgoing PWD Minister on the plea that the tender for the sewerage line has been under process. He lamented that the PWD officials are reluctant to show the people the status of the process for the laying of the sewerage line connecting the housing colony to the underground line.
Blaming the PWD and the Health Department for the situation at Areal village, Freddy asked the Environment Minister to send a team from the Goa State Pollution Control Board to assess the ground reality caused by the discharge of sewage water by the housing colony.
