MARGAO
The National Green Tribunal’s observations on utilising treated effluents for secondary purposes, including gardening may bring back to the centrestage the debate on the use of treated effluents for secondary purpose.
For, the PWD and Sewerage & Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa has been releasing millions of litres of treated sewage water in the rivers and sea for want of secondary use of the treated water in the State.
In fact, the NGT’s observations in the Cavelossim case may ring in good news for the villagers of Benaulim, which has been waging a battle for the utilisation of the treated sewage water from the Colva Sewerage Treatment Plant for secondary purpose instead of discharging the same in the river Sal.
Take note, the NGT-constituted joint committee may have a limited brief to inspect the Cavelossim-based hotel and initiate action as per the observations. The directions in respect of the Cavelossim-based hotel, however, offers an opportunity to the civil society demanding utilisation of treated effluents for secondary purpose to knock the doors of the NGT in the future on the issue.
Officials in the know in private pointed out that millions of litres of treated sewage effluents are finding its way in the river Sal from the two state-of-the-art STPs commissioned at Sirvodem-Margao. The 7.5 MLD Colva STP, which is in the final stage of commissioning, will also discharge its treated sewage into the river Sal if one goes by the underground line the Sewage Corporation is laying to link the STP to the river Sal.
Benaulim villagers had been opposing tooth and nail government’s plan to discharge the treated sewage water from the Colva STP to the river Sal at Khareband-Benaulim. They have been demanding that the government should utilise the treated effluents for secondary purposes such as gardening and for flushing toilets.
The villagers have also asked the government to explore the possibility of treating sewage water to the industries at the Verna Industrial Estate via a dedicated line from the Colva STP.
Officials in the know say that while the STP at Vasco is releasing the treated sewage into the sea, the two STPs situated at Sirvodem-Margao are discharging the treated effluents into the river Sal.
While the need to utilise the treated effluents for secondary purposes has been a subject matter of debate over the years, no headway has been made in the State to utilise the treated water for secondary purpose.
Take the case of the Colva STP. The original plan designed by the Sewerage & Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa was to discharge the treated sewage into the Arabian Sea. The plan was shelved after Colva villagers and tourism stakeholders voiced concern, fearing the plan, if implemented, will spell doom for tourism at the world famous iconic Colva beach.
