MARGAO
Hazard a guess what was the report compiled by the Water Resources Department (WRD) on the status of the city’s storm water nullahs, all emptying in the river Sal.
The WRD report spoke of the storm water nullahs carrying sewage water, not just at one place, but a host of points across the city, in both Margao and Fatorda, with the report calling for urgent measures to plug the discharge of sewage outlets to these nullahs.
Even as the WRD report has been gathering dust, with concerned authorities showing no haste in commissioning the underground sewage project, the Goa State Pollution Control Board has now issued directions to the various agencies, to inspect the water nullahs and other areas where sewage is discharged, which later finds its way into the fields and river.
In fact, GSPCB Member Secretary Dr Shamila Monteiro has directed the Margao Municipal Council, the Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa, Health and PWD officials to inspect the nullahs and other areas where sewage is being discharged.
These authorities have been directed to submit the action taken plan to the Board for collection, treatment and disposal of treated sewage within a period of 15 days.
The GSPCB directions come against a High Court petition filed by a resident of Navelim, Antonio Alvares, wherein the petitioner has contended that the Salpem lake, Navelim has been devastated by rampant discharge of sewage water in neighbouring Margao, which later finds its way into the once picturesque lake.
The petitioner’s claim is not entirely misplaced as evident by the fact that the random survey conducted by the Margao Municipal Council, the PWD, Sewerage and the Health department has revealed that commercial establishments and residential houses located along the Kudchadkar storm nullah are indeed discharging their waste and sewage water into the drainage system.
Otherwise, consider this. The MMC has told the GSPCB that the civic body has issued notices to around 65 establishments for discharging their sewage waters into the storm water drains. That’s not all. In its report to the Board, the MMC has stated that it has identified various other premises which are possibly discharging the sewage in the nullah through the underground pipeline.
Sources pointed out that the Health office has also issued show cause notices to a couple of complexes in the Colmorod area of the city after it was revealed that the sewage water was let out in the open and diverted to the public storm drain.
Officials of the Sewerage & Infrastructural Development Corporation of Goa has promised to coordinate and work with the Margao Municipal Council and the PWD in addressing the issue of sewage disposal in the drains when it was pointed out that the people faced hardships in obtaining sewerage connections from the PWD, for a host of reasons, including issues relating to the underground line.
Officials pointed out that the joint inspection of the city’s storm water nullahs is expected to take place next week, which would give an insight into the state of the nullahs and also unravel the extent of sewage water finding its way into the storm water nullahs.
