the goan I network
MARGAO
Hazard a guess why Margao Municipal Council night soil tankers are lying idle in the municipal garage for close to a month now despite huge demand for the tankers in the city and the neighbouring areas?
Well, if sources are to be believed, the PWD has been insisting on a Demand Draft of Rs 500 from the Margao Municipal Council to allow the night soil tankers to unload the sewage at its Sewage treatment plant at Sirvodem.
While citizens hiring the MMC night soil tankers have refused to submit the DDs to the civic body on grounds that they have to put in extra amount and time in the entire process, the civic body too has failed to issue a DD to the PWD till date.
It was only recently that the MMC sanitary section has mooted that the municipality issue a DD amounting to Rs 25,000 to the PWD to take care of trips that the tankers will make to the STP, Sirvodem.
As the process is still in the pipeline with the DD yet to fall in place, there’s no dearth of citizens making inquiries at the civic body and returning home disappointed, with some even approaching private contractors to empty the septic tanks.
When The Goan contacted MMC Sanitary Inspector, Viraj Arabekar, he pointed out that he has moved a note to the Council, soon after assuming charge, to issue a DD to the PWD amounting to Rs 25,000. “This will take care of around 50 trips the night soil tankers will make to the PWD to unload the sewage,” he added.
The MMC has two night soil tankers at its disposal, having 8,000 and 5,000 litres capacity. The night soil tankers empty the sewage at the STP at Sirvodem on payment of a fee of Rs 500 per trip. While the PWD has been accepting the fees in cash all these years, it was only recently that the PWD has insisted on a DD of Rs 500 from the MMC, a condition that left the civic body napping for the last one month.
