MARGAO
Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro has called for a holistic approach to restore the tributary of river Sal passing through the villages of Navelim, Aquem-Baixo and Dicarpale to its pristine glory as he mulled a survey to unearth the source of sewage finding its way into the river and to contain the pollution at source.
The Navelim MLA also demanded that the government revive the Selaulim irrigation canals supplying water to the command areas of the villages of Navelim, Telaulim and Dicarpale which, he said, were lying idle since the time they were laid in the 90s.
Launching the desilting of the tributary at Mandopa on Wednesday, the Navelim MLA said desilting will not help restore the river tributary to its pristine glory. “We need both long and short-term measures to tackle the sewage contamination,” Faleiro told the media as he rued that the river is getting narrower along its course with vegetation and plants making way for houses and sewage and garbage finding its way into the river.
The Navelim MLA recalled that he had put up a question in the last Assembly seeking to know the number of houses that have come up along the banks of the river and how many of these are releasing sewage in the river.
Demanding that the government should intervene and stop garbage and sewage from flowing into the river, the Navelim MLA has said the authorities, including panchayats, should swing into action and issue notices to the miscreants and stop the menace. “Today, we have started work on the desilting of the tributary. The situation will be back to square one if the source of contamination is not addressed by the authorities,” he said.
Saying that he is not into any blame game or out to score any brownie points, the Navelim MLA said that he will take the movement to save the rivers right to the Legislative Assembly to demand concrete action from the government.
On the Selaulim irrigation project, Faleiro demanded that the government release water from the project to the villages of Navelim, Telaulim and Dicarpale which has the network of water canals. “The government has spent around Rs 10,000 per square meter to build the irrigation canal. This money will go to waste if the command area is not brought under cultivation,” he said, adding that the government should at least restore the traditional lakes at Salpem, Telaulim, Coldem and Dialgona to boost agriculture in these villages.
