MARGAO
What was feared all along has come true. The dilapidated North main line, which is responsible for devastating the low-lying fields behind the KTC bus stand, is back in the news.
With rampant rainwater infiltration into the underground line, water was seen oozing out from the sewage chambers around the place behind the bus stand.
That’s not all. The PWD (sewerage) installed water pumps to pump out water from a sewage chamber into the adjoining low-lying areas.
When The Goan called up a senior PWD official to shed light on the installation of water pumps, he explained saying the pump has been installed to pump out the water from a clogged chamber and discharge into another chamber.
The official, however, promised to rectify the situation when his attention was drawn to the discharge of the water pumped out from the sewage chamber into the adjoining fields.
That a sewage chamber was oozing out water in the adjoining area, indicating that there’s been infiltration of water into the underground line through the joints and other openings. In fact, the water coming out from the chamber was seen mixing with rainwater before flowing onto the motorable road posing a nuisance to pedestrians and motorists.
A senior PWD official pointed out that the underground sewerage line behind the KTC bus stand is damaged at some places, with the chambers choked with mud and debris. “We have tried to remove the debris from the chambers and open the line. That’s the reason why the pumps were pressed into service to pump out water from the chambers which are choked so that the water passes through the underground line,” the official said.
He added: “What we are presently doing is trying to fix the issue with temporary arrangements. The only solution lies with the commissioning of the North main line, which is in the process of being laid from Fatorda to the Sirvodem sewage treatment plant.”
