MARGAO
Who’s responsible for creating the sewage trench along the Konkan Railway tracks between La Flor hotel and Cine Lata hutment colony, Margao, as no authority is ready to own up responsibility for exposing citizens to a health hazard?
And, why not a single authority, be it the Konkan Railway Corporation or the Margao Municipal Council or the Health authorities or the district authorities took time off to jointly inspect the sewage trench, which has been emitting foul odour and has become a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes?
When The Goan called up KRC Senior Officer Baban Ghatge to shed light on the steps taken by the corporation to mitigate the health hazard staring at the citizens, he said the KRC cannot be blamed for the problem, saying the railway has only dug up the trench to ensure smooth flow of the waste and sewage water. In fact, he sought to point accusing fingers at the Margao Municipal Council for the problem, saying the KRC would not have dug up the trench had the civic body cleared the storm water nullah on the Khareband side of the tracks.
“The KRC cannot be blamed for the situation. The problem could be easily resolved if the MMC opens up the storm water nullah on the other side of the tracks,” Ghatge added.
Ward councillor and former Chairperson Doris Texeira, however, begged to differ. She said the trench has been dug up by the KRC, which is the main cause of the current problem. “The problem which was confined to one place near the cross drain at Pedda has now spread along the railway tracks from La Flor to Cine Lata residential colony. The KRC is responsible for digging the trench, which is the cause of the current problem,” Doris said.
The MMC ward councillor has promised to take up the matter with the Margao MLA Digambar Kamat with a plea to call for a joint meeting of all authorities concerned, including the KRC to solve the issue on an urgent basis.
Sadly, none of the powers that be, including the authorities, be it the MMC Chief Officer Siddhivinayak Naik, MMC Engineer, Arsekar, Sanitary inspector Viraj Arabekar, besides the KRC officials and Urban Health Centre officials have inspected the sewage trench till date even as sewage odour has enveloped the entire locality for want of action.
