After spending `3.76 cr on desilting, thick growth reappears along Khareband-Benaulim stretch
the goan I network
MARGAO
Will the officials concerned explain to Madgavkars how a thick carpet of weeds and other vegetation has resurfaced along the stretch of the contaminated River Sal – which was desilted just a year ago at a whopping cost of Rs 3.76 crore? Or, is the rampant discharge of untreated sewage water into the River Sal the reason behind the vegetation and weed growth along the river course? The issue, that no amount of desilting will help contain pollution unless the sewage discharge points that empty into the river are plugged, which was raised all along is now back in the news.
These and other questions have come to the fore less than a year after the River Sal course was desilted by the government at a whopping cost of Rs 3.76 crore, as a thick carpet of weeds has covered a significant portion of the River Sal – along the Khareband bridge-Benaulim stretch.
A visit by The Goan team along the river course has revealed that the carpet of vegetation is more prevalent along the Khareband-Benaulim stretch – a stretch which is prone to rampant sewage flow from the commercial capital as well as from the non-functioning sewage treatment plant at Sirvodem.
Co-incidentally, the situation appears somewhat different along the downstream villages of Navelim-Sinquetim-Teualim -- which are away from the sewage discharge points.
What’s interesting to note is that the thick weed carpet in the River Sal in 2016 had forced Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to return with team Avertano-Benjamin-Caitu during the inspection of the River Sal while launching the de-silting work.
When The Goan called up Captain of Ports, James Braganza to shed light on the weed growth in the River Sal along the course which was desilted by the department a year ago, he attributed the situation to the sewage waters finding its way in the river.
“A few days ago, someone brought to my notice the thick growth of vegetation in River Sal. My enquiry has revealed that the sewage discharge in the river could be the prime reason behind the growth of vegetation in the river,” Capt Braganza asserted.
Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) also echoed similar sentiments. Senior officials pointed out that water stagnation coupled with sewage discharge plays a perfect host to the growth of weed in the river.
“Desilting of the river Sal at great cost may prove futile unless the sewage discharge points into the river are plugged effectively,” remarked a senior GSPCB official.
Incidentally, the River Sal has been desilted twice – once around 2002-2003 and in 2016 without addressing the core issue of rampant discharge of sewage water in the river. While the government has spent a whopping Rs 3.76 crore to desilt the River Sal along the six-km route from Khareband bridge to Telaulim bridge, millions of litrrs of sewage water finds its way in the river day in and out for want of a full-proof disposal mechanism for treatment of sewage.
Sadly, work on the two state-of-the-art sewage treatment plants has been dragging on at the Sirvodem site over the last two years, as the failed deadlines have only delayed the commissioning.
Less than a year after the River Sal course was desilted by the government at a whopping cost of Rs 3.76 crore, a thick carpet of weeds has covered a significant portion of the River Sal – along the Khareband bridge-Benaulim stretch
Captain of Ports attributed the growth of vegetation to sewage discharge into the river
Officials of Goa State Pollution Control Board say that desilting of River Sal at such huge costs may prove futile unless the sewage discharge points into the river are plugged effectively
River Sal has been desilted twice – once around 2002-2003 and in 2016 without addressing the issue discharge of sewage
