Farmers, patients, and schoolchildren affected as overflowing manhole contaminates fields and road for several days
A pedestrian makes his way through a flooded stretch near a school as sewage from a nearby manhole overflows onto the road. Farmers point to the inundation of their fields.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
Sewage has again raised its stink in Fatorda, inundating paddy fields and posing a nuisance to patients and visitors to the South Goa District Hospital, as well as a health hazard to children heading to a nearby school.
Reason: An overflowing sewage manhole in the middle of the road passing by the side of the district hospital has been spewing water mixed with suspected sewage for the last several days. Farmers claimed that the water has inundated the fields at a time when they were preparing for sowing operations.
Parents of schoolchildren pointed out that they have to bear the foul sewage odour every day, while others walking towards the school had to wade through the sewage water overflowing from the manhole.
A group of farmers bitterly protested over the sewage water overflowing from the manhole and finding its way into the fields across the road. “This is the time when we have braced ourselves to take up cultivation of our fields. But the fields are inundated with sewage water. We do not know how we will get into the fields and start the sowing operation,” protested Paulo Fernandes.
Saying the farmers have been cultivating the fields every year, Paulo preferred to keep their fingers crossed over whether the inundation of the paddy fields will allow them to take up cultivation this season. “The farmers run the risk of getting affected by skin diseases if they venture into the fields. We do not know what lies in store for us,” Paulo added.
Another farmer echoed similar sentiments, saying the continuous flow of sewage water from the manhole has devastated their paddy fields. “We cultivate our fields every year. This year we do not know whether the condition of the fields will allow us to enter and take up cultivation,” he said.
A resident of Betalbatim, who uses the road every day to drop off schoolchildren, said the stink has been unbearable. “Sometimes, we avoid the road and enter the district hospital before heading to the school. The sewage stink should stop immediately, at least taking into account the health and safety of the schoolchildren,” he added.
Social activist Fedol Pereira has taken up cudgels for the beleaguered farmers and schoolchildren. “The PWD Minister should take cognisance of the overflowing sewage manhole and plug the same on priority. The state of affairs does not augur well when the district hospital and a school are located just a stone’s throw away from the manhole,” Fedol said.
She has urged the authorities to plug the manhole on priority and mitigate the hardships faced by the farmers, schoolchildren, and visitors to the hospital.
