MARGAO
What was feared all along has come back to haunt Madgavkars once again “ infiltration of rain water into the city’s underground sewage line.
As sewage stink raised its ugly head in the commercial capital, serious questions have been raised once again over the underground sewage line, with overflowing sewage chambers spewing out sewage across the city.
That’s not all. The two Sewerage Treatment Plants (STP) at Sirvodem are also reported running to their full capacities, indicating large scale infiltration of rain water into the underground line.
In fact, the Sewerage and Infrastructural Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL) and the Public Works department (PWD), the agencies for the laying of the underground sewage line and its maintenance may have to explain the causes behind the overflowing sewage chambers “ whether it is due to blockage of the underground sewage line or simply because of rain water seepage inside the line.
A ride across the commercial capital revealed that sewage chambers overflowing at many places, indicating that the underground line is susceptible to water seepage across the city.
Take note, the PWD had embarked on an exercise to open the sewage chambers to check blockages, if any, just before the onset of monsoons. It is a coincidence that many a sewage manhole opened by the PWD to check blockages have been found spewing sewage.
In fact, back flow of sewage water has been spotted at many places, throwing serious questions on the quality of sewage work undertaken by the agencies. “That the PWD did not come across blockages when the sewage chambers were opened before the onset of monsoons only goes to show that the problem is not related to just blockages, but the very laying of the underground line”, remarked an official.
A PWD official conceded that the upkeep and maintenance of the underground line rests with the agency. The official, however, has hastened to add that he is unaware whether the underground line was handed over to the PWD after testing and certification that work was carried out as per the laid down norms.
