File photo of the sewage and waste water gushing out of the Comba storm water nullah.
MARGAO
As Comba takes centre stage of overflowing sewage chambers and sewage in the fields and drains, PWD Minister Digambar Kamat on Tuesday said the area will get a big relief after the damaged chambers are repaired and restored after issuance of work order to the contractor.
In another significant announcement, the PWD Minister has said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant would soon lay the foundation stone for the 3MLD sewage treatment plant on the banks of River Sal which will help stop sewage water from entering the River Sal at Khareband.
Commenting on the sewage problem staring at Comba, Kamat said the sewage chambers are clogged due to a host of reasons. “PWD officials had come across grinders dumped into the manholes. Then there were clothes found inside the manholes at some locations. All these has contributed to the clogged manholes and overflowing of sewage,” he said.
When the media drew his attention to the sewage discharge at Comba along the ring road, the Minister attributed the problem to the damaged sewage chambers. “Work could not start immediately since the landlords had raised objection to the work. But, the government would soon issue the work order to the contractor after receiving the expenditure sanction for the repair and restoration work,” he added.
When his attention was drawn to the contamination of sewage near the Khareband bridge, the Minister said sewage water might have been entering the river from Kharalem. “My efforts to set up a 3MLD sewage treatment plant on the banks of the River Sal at Khareband have been approved by the government. The Chief Minister will soon lay the foundation stone for the STP. Once completed and commissioned, the issue of sewage water entering the River Sal at Khareband will be resolved once and for all,” he added.
The PWD Minister further said that the government would build a new bridge in place of the old Khareband bridge which would give relief to traffic flowing into Salcete coastal belt from the commercial capital.
Cancellation of Comba sewage inspection draws criticism
MARGAO: Youth leader Prabhav Naik has criticised the Health department for abruptly cancelling a scheduled joint site inspection of the sewage problem plaguing Comba, questioning why no alternative date has been announced.
Naik said the inspection was intended to investigate the long-standing sewage menace and stressed that public health concerns cannot be sidelined by political or administrative considerations. He recalled Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s assurance that there would be no politics over public health and basic infrastructure.
Pointing out that the inspection notice issued by the Urban Health Centre, Margao, was dated October 30 but emailed to him only on November 2, Naik said another email announcing its cancellation followed within hours. The inspection was scheduled for November 3 at 11 am at Comba.
He questioned the abrupt cancellation despite the urgency of the issue and said Madganvcho Awaaz would not be intimidated or silenced. The campaign, he maintained, was driven by residents’ concerns over sewage contamination and the need to protect their wells. Naik appealed to Rane to intervene personally, ensure the inspection was rescheduled without further delay and direct authorities to take corrective measures. He said the campaign would continue until a permanent solution was found to the sewage problem.
