MARGAO
Even as Benaulim villagers see red in the plan of the Sewerage & Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa to discharge treated sewage water from the Colva STP into the river Sal, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has maintained that the Board has permitted the disposal of the treated sewage water into the river Sal from the Navelim and Colva STPs for the flushing of the river.
In a letter to Benaulm villagers, architect Royla Fernandes, GSPCB Member Secretary Dr Shamila Monteiro pointed out that the analytical reports of the river Sal indicated higher levels of the BOD, faecal coliform and lower values of dissolved oxygen. “The treated water of the STP with the discharge standards will help in maintaining the flow of the river and increasing the water quality,” she said.
The issue of ecological/environmental flow (E-flow) also finds a mention in the River Rejuvenation Plan. It is stated that the polluted stretch of the Sal river is having a length of 22 kms out of which 14 kms is under the influence of tidal effect.
“There is no issue of E-Flow in the 14 km saline stretch of river Sal. The stretch between Khareband to Navelim (8 km) is under non-tidal effects and the river becomes dry in the month of January every year. It is proposed to rejuvenate this stretch by discharging the treated water from the STP at Navelim, to ensure the E-flow and frequent flushing of this stretch of the river,” the report stated.
