Benaulim MLA promises to put plan in place to solve issue
MARGAO
How and who will handle the sewage generated at the hundreds of beach shacks dotting the state’s coastal belt in the coming Tourism season, is a question that has come to the fore with the Goa government unveiling the new beach shack policy.
None other than the beach shack owners from coastal Salcete were candid in admitting that disposal of sewage is an issue for want of infrastructure. A year ago, the beach shack owners had roped in a Chennai-based company to bail them out by setting up a system to treat the sewage generated in the beach shacks.
Goa Shack Owners Society president Cruz Cardozo said the attempt to engage the Chennai firm came a cropper since the company officials were insisting on setting up STPs to handle the sewage. He further said the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had given a power point presentation to the beach shack owners on sewage disposal, but in vain. “The problem lies with the STP. Sewage can be lifted from the shacks, but the problem lies in the treatment”, he said.
Cruz pointed out that the beach shack owners are ready to invest in the STP to handle the sewage waste but the problem lies in the fact that there is no guarantee how many years the owner will have the permission to run the beach shack. “We are ready to cooperate with the government in handling the sewage issue. But, the government seemed not serious in working in a transparent manner. Till date, we have not even been shown the new beach shack policy”, he rued.
To tide over the problem, the shack owners knocked the doors of the Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas during the weekend to lend his assistance and helping hand how to go about fixing the sewage issue.
Led by the president of Goa Shack Owners Society Cruz Cardozo, the shack owners explained to the Benaulim MLA how the shack owners have been facing difficulty in the disposal of sewage for want of a common infrastructure, including a Sewage Treatment plant (STP).
“The Benaulim MLA has promised to put a plan in place. He has decided to call a meeting of the shack owners to work out a solution”, he said.
MLA Venzy informed that he is working on a plan how to lift the sewage generated at the beach shacks in his Benaulim constituency. “We have five beach accesses in my constituency where beach shacks are put up. We have to work out a plan how to extract the sewage from the beach shacks and dispose it”, he said.
The Benaulim MLA said he intends to use his shipping experience in dealing with the sewage issue plaguing the beach shacks. “If the plans turns successful, it could be a model for entire Goa”, he said.
Venzy, however, took a dig at the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), terming it as the worst government department. “Not a single work is taking place because of the GSPCB. The department should have taken the responsibility to work out a solution to the sewage issue facing the beach shacks. Goa is suffering from pollution for want of action by the GSPCB. There is no fear of the body”, he asserted.
