Long-delayed 7.5 MLD plant commissioned with March 31 deadline set for connections
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant commissioning the 7.5MLD Colva STP on Thursday.
MARGAO
Commissioning the long-delayed Rs 56 crore 7.5MLD Colva Sewerage Treatment Plant on Thursday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has warned of water supply disconnections if commercial establishments and households fail to take the sewerage connections for their premises.
The Chief Minister has set March 31 as the deadline for the commercial establishments and households in the tourist village to avail the facility wherever ready or face water disconnections.
The CM’s warning assumes significance given that the PWD has received less than 30 applications, both domestic and commercial, for the sewerage connections.
In this respect, the Chief Minister said people need not worry about the payment towards the cost of sewage connections, saying the PWD will ensure the cost is recovered in instalments via the water bills. He also told the SIDCGL and PWD officials to streamline the system and grant the sewerage connection only on water bills without insisting on other documents.
In his address after inaugurating the STP at Colva in the presence of Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira and Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, Colva Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes, ZP member Vania Baptista and others, the Chief Minister has further urged hotels as well as builders to avail the treated water for construction and gardening purpose.
In fact, the Chief Minister said the government will be more than happy to provide the treated water free of cost to the hotels and builders if they are ready to transport the water via their tankers.
In this respect, when the Environment Minister drew attention of the Chief Minister that the Colva STP has no point for the hotels to tap the treated water, the Chief Minister directed the officials to ensure that a tapping point is put in place for the hotels and builders to take the treated water for gardening and construction activity.
“I want to make it clear that the government will go for disconnection of water supply of both commercial establishments and households if they fail to connect their premises wherever there is sewage treatment plant facility in place. The government has spent Rs 56 crore on the sewage project at Colva. People will have to take the connections within the set deadline or face water disconnections,” he said.
The 7.5MLD sewage plant has cost the State exchequer Rs 23 core, while the government has spent another Rs 33 crore on the 11 km sewage network in the tourist village.
The Chief Minister has directed officials of the Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL) to immediately get the Sulabh toilets at Colva connected to the STP.
He said the government will soon appoint a contractor to ensure the upkeep and maintenance of the STP for the next five years.
‘Colva STP expansion only after catering to village’
When the media questioned whether the 7.5MLD Colva STP will cater to the entire Benaulim constituency, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the plant is primarily built to cater to the requirements of the tourist village of Colva.
He, however, said if there is capacity which remains underutilised, the government will then take a call whether to lay additional sewerage network to connect additional areas to the Colva STP. “The Colva STP and the sewerage line network are laid only to cover the tourist village of Colva. But, if there is demand and if the capacity remains underutilised, we will take a call whether to lay additional sewage network to bring more areas under the Colva project,” he added.
From sewage to e-waste: Goa will be first State to treat all wastes, says Sawant
MARGAO: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said Goa will be first State in the country which will have treatment plants to manage sewage, garbage, bio-medical waste, e-waste, hazardous waste.
Commissioning the long-delayed 7.5MLD Colva Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) on Thursday coinciding with the Opinion Poll Day, the Chief Minister said the government will set up sewage treatment plants across the State’s coastal belt, right from Calangute to Canacona where the sea water level is high and the soaking capacity comparatively low.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said Goa has sewage treatment plants, effluent treatment plants, garbage management plants, bio-medical waste management plant, hazardous waste management plant at Pissurlem. If there is cooperation from the public, we will be able to handle waste and make Goa clean and green,” he said.
