the goan I network
MAPUSA
Taking advantage of the lockdown and as part of pre-monsoon activity, the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has launched one of the biggest and comprehensive exercises of desilting the drains and cross drains in Mapusa market.
Around 60 dedicated workers who are part of the massive task have yanked open the concrete slabs covering most of the drains and were busy removing the sludge.
The focus of the MMC has been to clear the slush and simultaneously to widen and give a slopping gradient to the drains wherever necessary so that the rain water easily makes its way to the main nullah.
“This is the biggest of such exercises witnessed in almost 20 years in the market. We want to ensure that the market remains free from floods this year,” said MMC Chief Officer Clen Madeira, who is personally monitoring the work.
In the past, the desilting of the drains in the market was happening in haphazard manner mainly because the market would always remain busy with people.
Thanks to the lockdown, for the first time ever the civic authorities got an opportunity to work in an empty market and also the time to desilt the drains of the entire market without hindrance.
“Market engineers are given instructions to ensure all drains have proper gradient which will enable the water to flow unhindered to the main nallah. Also, PWD officials have been told to check all leaking pipes and pipelines in the market,” Madeira said.
The chief officer informed that it is proposed not to allow restaurants in the market to restart unless they install grease traps in their kitchens.
“During this massive clearing of the drains we have found restaurant waste that makes its way into the drains has been found to ferment and harden into virtual slabs thereby blocking the gutters,” he said.
On Friday, Mapusa MLA Joshua D’Souza along with the chief officer visited the municipal market and oversaw the ongoing desilting work undertaken by the municipality.
The chief officer briefed the local MLA about the extent of work to desilt all the drains undertaken in the entire market.
Several locals have also appreciated the massive work undertaken by the civic authorities in the market.
