MARGAO
Sao Jose de Areal villagers on Monday virtually went on a hunting spree to trace the source of the contaminated water, which was emanating a foul and unbearable odour in the village, passing by the Panchayat Ghar before flowing into the paddy fields.
After gram sabha members at the Sunday gram sabha meeting complained of a foul smell around the Panchayat Ghar, the villagers, led by Deputy Sarpanch Piety, along with social activist Freddy Travasso, Domingo, and Edison, traversed on foot through thick vegetation and bushes in the village countryside on Monday morning.
Initially, the exercise did not yield any positive results, but when the team reached the other side of the village, they came across the contaminated water flowing into a nullah before it found its way into the fields.
Activist Freddy called upon Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira, the Goa State Pollution Control Board, as well as the police and health authorities, to immediately identify the water source and bring the culprits to book.
“We have enough evidence to show the water source and who is involved in releasing the contaminated water. However, we would still like the GSPCB team to investigate and bring the guilty to justice. If the GSPCB cannot identify the source or the violators, the villagers will provide the evidence in the matter,” he said.
Saying that the Sao Jose de Areal panchayat body, headed by Sarpanch Carmeena Fernandes, is with the villagers, Freddy added that the Panchayat would extend wholehearted support to the GSPCB team if they are serious about unearthing the water source.
“We, the Areal villagers, sincerely appeal to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira to save the people from destruction. Please depute the GSPCB team to Areal to trace the source of the contaminated water and arrest the violators responsible for releasing it into the open,” Freddy demanded.
