MAPUSA
After eight long years, the government has admitted that the underground sewerage system in Mapusa was far from ready but more importantly it had no clue when the sewerage network will be made operational.
The work on the sewerage project began in April 2013 and was expected to be completed in September 2015.
PWD Minister, Deepak Pauskar informed that the JICA sponsored underground sewerage system along with the sewage treatment plant for Mapusa constituency was not ready yet.
He also failed to give a commitment when the entire project would be made functional. “Construction of sewer network in Mapusa is in final stages of completion and infiltration tests are being carried out. The civil work of sewage treatment plant is complete but electrical work is in progress,” Pauskar said, while responding to an unstarred question from Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza in the recently concluded monsoon session of the State Legislative Assembly.
He also stated that testing and repairs of few leaking manholes in the Mapusa sewer network were yet to be completed.
“Phase wise testing and repairs of leaking manholes is likely to be completed and made functional by December 2021,” he said.
He further informed that the electrical connection of Mapusa STP was likely to be released by September 2021.
On more than one occasion, Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza had made his anguish known on the delay in commissioning of the sewerage network.
He had said no permission would be given to start the second phase unless and until the first phase of the network was completed and commissioned.
The contract to lay the sewerage line in Mapusa and Calangute-Baga was awarded to Simplex Infrastructures Ltd in 2012 while work on the project began in April 2013.
The total cost of the project was pegged at Rs 152.72 crore and was expected to be completed in September 2015.
With a total of 1,429 manholes and 1,450 inspection chambers in place, sewerage pipeline network of around 38 km in length was completed in Mapusa some years back.
The Sewerage Treatment Plant at Camarkhazan, Mapusa was also completed a couple of years back but trial run of the plant got delayed for want of power connection.
The sewerage work in several parts of the State is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
