MAPUSA
The Assonora River, the water of which is treated at the Assonora water treatment plant and supplied as drinking water to Bardez, is completely polluted putting lives at risk, alleged Shailendra Velingkar, a Panaji-based activist.
Velingkar claimed that the river was contaminated with deadly bacteria of coliform and E.Coli and he had documents to substantiate the charge.
He also accused the engineers manning the Assonora water treatment plant of manipulating reports about the status of the river water and sending fake reports to the higher authorities. “The PWD engineers are supplying polluted water to Bardez. People can suffer from hepatitis, jaundice or pneumonia after drinking this water. These engineers will have to be held responsible if people fall ill,” Velingkar said.
According to the activist, the tele-floculator bridge which plays a very important role in purifying water has been dysfunctional for the past one-and-half year.
He further alleged that several sub-stations at the treatment plant were not functioning for the last two years while the water filtering beds were also not operating.
“The PWD Minister should conduct a high-level inquiry in the matter and suspend the engineer concerned,” he said and vowed to even meet the Chief Minister on the issue.
He also claimed that sewage of a starred hotel nearby was released into the Assonora river which has further polluted the river.
“Just like the Sal river is polluted in South Goa, the Assonora river which is used for drinking water is polluted in North Goa. The government should take serious cognizance of this issue and take preemptive steps before the situation goes out of hand,” he warned.
Drinking water is 100% safe: AE
MAPUSA: The PWD Assistant Engineer (water) Caetano Menezes said drinking water supplied to the people of Bardez was 100 percent clean as all precautions and standard procedure was followed to treat water at the Assonora treatment plant.
Menezes also said the water treatment plant received most of the raw water from Tillari and Amtane dam which is then treated and supplied to the people.
He also said very minimum water was taken from the Assonora river and therefore, there was no question of pollution. “We have a specialised chemist at the plant. We conduct tests which show nil bacteria in the treated water. Our treatment is going perfectly fine. My job is to give good water to the people of Mapusa and Bardez,” said Menezes, who is the in-charge at the Assonora Water Treatment Plant.
He said all required measures were taken to provide clean drinking water and regular reports were sent to the department heads.
