MARGAO
What’s next after the latest inspection of the Margao storm water drains, was a question posed by citizens to officials of the GSPCB, SIDCGL and the Margao Muncipal Council as they wondered whether the ground reality will change for the better in the near future.
When a GSPCB official explained that the Board will compile a report and file the same before the High Court and also issue directions to the concerned authorities, the citizens cried foul saying they have been hearing this reply over the last 20 years, but in vain.
Petitioner Prof Antonio Alvares expressed his disgust that the sewage discharge in the storm water drains from Margao has not stopped despite the series of inspections carried out by the government officials. Given that the urgent inspection on Wednesday was ordered by the High Court after he maintained that there’s no change in the ground reality, Alvares said he plans to do a video recording of the inspections and submit the same to the High Court.
Alvares further informed that he would submit before Court the need for a coordinated approach by the concerned departments saying there is total lack of coordination amongst the departments, including the SIDCGL, PWD and the Margao Municipal Council.
The petitioner said the farmers and citizens of Navelim have been witnessing the devastation of the water bodies and fields over the last 20 years due to the rampant discharge of Margao sewage via the storm water drains. “May be the situation would have been different today had the people dumped rubble stones blocking the Kudchadkar nallah 20 years ago”, he added.
