One project has started, while four others remain stalled over clearances and funds
File photo of sewage flowing into the storm water nullahs due to the absence of sewage network in Margao and the delay in implementing the sewage vacuum technology in the city’s low-lying areas.
MARGAO
Even as the Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL) commenced work on one of the projects under the vacuum sewer system technology on Thursday, concerns are raised over the delay in rolling out the technology across Margao’s low-lying areas.
A day after SIDCGL launched the vacuum sewer technology at Khareband-Kharelem under the Margao Municipal Council jurisdiction, questions are being raised about the status of four other proposed projects aimed at tackling chronic sewage disposal issues in the low-lying areas of the city.
The delays come despite clear directions issued over nine months ago by the High Court, which had instructed SIDCGL to implement the vacuum sewer system across affected areas in Margao. The court had emphasised the urgency of preventing untreated sewage from flowing into storm water drains and nullahs, which has been contaminating local water bodies, including the Sal River.
According to SIDCGL officials, while groundwork began at Khareband-Kharelem near Sant Nirankari on Thursday, multiple hurdles have stalled progress in other locations.
At Calcondem, work could not commence due to the absence of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the local comunidade, which was granted only five days ago. Similarly, the Aquem project faced identical delays, with land clearance from the comunidade coming through just days earlier.
In the case of Malbhat, officials said the proposal has been forwarded to the State government for financial approval, and work will begin only after expenditure sanction is granted.
Meanwhile, the project planned near Laxmi Empire remains in limbo, still awaiting the required land NOC.
SIDCGL maintained that it had completed tendering formalities as early as November last year, in compliance with court directives. However, implementation has been held up due to procedural bottlenecks, particularly delays in securing land permissions from comunidade bodies and financial clearances from the State’s Finance Department.
During the last hearing on March 18, SIDCGL’s legal counsel apprised the High Court of these constraints. Taking note, the court urged the Finance Department to expedite the process of granting financial approvals for the pending contracts and work orders.
With sewage continuing to pollute key water channels and affect public health, residents and civic observers are now calling for faster coordination between departments to ensure that the remaining projects are executed without further delay.
SGPDA market pumping station yet to get electricity
MARGAO: Has the pumping station installed at the SGPDA market received an electricity connection from the planning body, paving the way for commissioning the underground sewage system in the mega retail market?
According to a senior official of the Sewage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL), the pumping station at the PDA market is still awaiting an electricity connection.
In fact, on March 18, SIDCGL informed the High Court that while the installation of the pumping station at the PDA market had been completed in compliance with court directions, it could not be made operational due to the SGPDA’s failure to provide a power connection.
However, counsel for the SGPDA told the court that an existing electrical connection with adequate capacity is available to handle the pumping station’s load. The PDA’s counsel further assured the court that SGPDA would extend a power connection from its meter to the pumping station within one week to enable smooth functioning.
Accepting this statement, the court observed that it expected the pumping station within the SGPDA premises to be fully functional within the stipulated period, and that the connection to the main sewage line should also be operational within that timeframe.
Despite this, a senior SIDCGL official maintains that the pumping station at the market is still awaiting an electricity connection.
