MARGAO
The Margao Municipal Council has conceded there’s dumping of sewage and waste water in the once picturesque Salpem lake and has promised to crack the whip against residential buildings releasing sewage and other waste in the fields.
Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, however, has asked the Margao Municipal Chief Officer to get an inspection conducted along with the Councillors, both past and the future, who will be elected to the civic body after the April 23 election, so that proper sewage connections are provided to all.
An inspection of the fields at the Salpem lake by the Margao Municipal sanitary inspector along with representatives of farmers revealed that there is dumping of waste and sewage water in the paddy fields.
In his letter addressed to the Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, Margao Municipal Chief Officer Agnelo Fernandes pointed out that the sanitary inspector has further reported that that debris, possibly from the residents and occupants of a residential complex has found its way into the paddy fields.
To track down the source of the sewage and waste water, the Chief Officer has said the Margao Municipal workers will open the storm water drains to find out the exact source of the discharge of the sewage, saying the work is in progress and will be completed soon.
Upon report from the sanitary inspector on the source of the discharge of sewage in the paddy fields, the Chief Officer has promised to issue necessary notices to the defaulters and initiate action as per the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968.
In the meantime, MLA Luizinho Faleiro has recalled that the government has taken up the work of rejuvenation of Salpem lake at Navelim at a cost of Rs 5.15 crore. He, however, the work will turn useless if no drastic action is initiated immediately of cleaning up the garbage and sewage coming from the Margao Municipal Council so othat farmers can grow their paddy again.
The Salpem lake was in the news last week after Aam Admi Party took up cudgels for the farmers who have been demanding restoration of the lake and the paddy fields to its pristine glory. While Cong-turned-AAP leader Pratima Coutinho had sought to blame Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro for not taking up the matter with the authorities, the office of the Navelim MLA was categorical in saying that the MLA had been pursuing the Salpem lake matter with the authorities as well as with the government.
In the past, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had ordered a stop to the discharge of the Margao sewage waste into the Salpem lake and had even ordered disconnection of water connections to the residential buildings, but in vain.
Though major part of the Margao is being covered by the underground sewage scheme, there are still hundreds, if not thousands of residential premises, which are yet to go for the underground sewerage connection, as a result of which the overflowing soakpits and septic waters finds its way in the storm water drains leading to the Salpem lake.
