6 months on, Minister renews call to stop sewage flow into River Sal by Dec 2025

Sewage water was seen oozing out of a damaged manhole in the Comba locality of Margao during the recent rains.

MARGAO
The last time Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar visited Margao in mid-December 2024, he gave a piece of advice or two to the stakeholders to set December 2025 as the target date to stop the flow of sewage in the River Sal as part of the clean-up operation to restore the pristine glory of the river.

Often described as the lifeline of Salcete, the River Sal has long suffered from unchecked pollution, mostly from the rampant discharge of sewage water from the commercial capital.

Now, little over six months down the line, the WRD Minister was back in the city on Friday to repeat his advice – that the stakeholders, including the PWD and the Sewage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL) and the local representatives should come under one banner and chalk out an action plan to plug the sewage flow into the river.

Shirodkar further announced that the stakeholders should meet before the month end to devise a plan to effectively stop sewage flow into the River Sal.

The Minister’s call for action, however, has raised a moot question – how many meetings have actually been held of the stakeholders, including the PWD, WRD, SIDCGL, besides the MLAs of Margao and Fatorda in the last six months to discuss the contentious issue of sewage flow into the River Sal? And, whether any progresses have these agencies made to mitigate the problem of sewage entering the river?

During his mid-December visit to the city, the WRD Minister had conceded that River Sal is the most polluted river in the State. He sounded alarm bells that unless the stakeholders all come together with a mission to save the river, that the situation would spiral out of control.

The ground reality, however, has not changed for the better. Sewage water gushed out from a damaged sewage manhole at Comba into the adjoining water bodies, which finally found its way into the River Sal. The situation raised a stink in the residential locality, indicating that all isn’t well with the sewage line. That’s not all. The city’s storm water drains are still carrying sewage water into the river despite the issue coming under the lens of the High Court in a Writ petition filed by a citizen of Navelim, Antonio Alvares.

River Sal revival 

plan on cards

Without divulging details, Water Resources Department Minister Subhash Shirodkar has said that the WRD will implement a plan which will further improve the river water quality.

He said that the plan will be implemented after the monsoons, which will give some relief to the river from pollution.

Last time round, the WRD minister had announced plans to commission the barrage and the air purifiers erected on the River Sal near the wholesale fish market. No doubt, the air purifiers had started functioning earlier this year, but the continuous discharge of raw sewage into the river has virtually negated the positive results from the prestigious project.

The WRD has also planned to streamline the operation of the aerators installed in the river by seeking permanent electric connection.