De-weeding and cosmetic measures taken at the river Sal near the Khareband bridge. Pic Santosh Mirajkar
Activists and citizens slammed the government for what they termed as cosmetic measures adopted at the river Sal near the Khareband Bridge, insisting that the lifeline of Salcete is in need of a holistic development and restore Sal to its pristine glory.
As the work of de-weeding of the river Sal is underway near the Khareband bridge, questions have been raised whether the government has plugged all the points discharging raw sewage in the river from neighbouring Margao. They wondered whether any purpose will be served by implementing cosmetic changes when the government has no plan to resolve the sewage flow into the river.
Environmental activist Abhijit Prabhudesai said there is absolutely no plan in place to rejuvenate the river Sal and restore the river to its lost glory. “The river Sal is dying for want of government attention. Fish is getting extinct. The weeds are growing because of sewage disposal. The government has absolutely no plan to save the river”, he added.
He said if the government is seriously interested in restoring river Sal, it should pass a law to bar high rise buildings in the commercial capital till the issue of sewage disposal is resolved and addressed.
Former bureaucrat Elvis Gomes said the entire eco system of river Sal has been destroyed over the years due to the rampant discharge of raw sewage. “On paper, the government talks about the rejuvenation of river Sal. Under the guise of river rejuvenation, crores of tax payers have gone in the drain for the simple reason that the government is not addressing the core issue of sewage disposal”, Gomes said.
Benaulim-based activist Santan Pereira said cosmetic work at the river Sal would not help rejuvenate the river Sal. “Plug all the points discharging sewage into the river, right from the wholesale fish market to Margao and Navelim. We need long term solution instead of these cosmetic measures”, Pereira added.
