MARGAO
This storm water nullah must have escaped the attention of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and other authorities when officials descended to inspect the city’s nullahs and drains carrying raw sewage water discharged by commercial establishments and households.
The storm water nullah, which reportedly originates around the old bus stand empties at the railway tracks. Locals say the storm water nullah crosses the railway tracks through the cross drainage before joining the Khareband nullah on the other side of the railway tracks, before the water finds its way into the river Sal.
With the cross drainage under the railway tracks blocked now and with debris hampering the flow of water at the Khareband nullah, the sewage and waste water does not flow out, but has all accumulated and stagnated along the railway tracks, posing nuisance and a health hazard to the local residents.
With the area enveloped with foul sewage odour, a casual glance at the railway tracks would reveal stagnant waters along the tracks, indicating that the water does not drain through the cross drainage under the tracks.
In the past, the stagnant water flowed right along the tracks close to the migrant colony near Cine Lata, before the authorities had moved in to clear the cross drainage and make way for the water to pass through the other side of the tracks.
Locals question why the Margao MLA Digambar Kamat has not approached the Konkan Railway Corporation or the Margao Municipal Council to make way for the stagnant water to pass through the cross drainages and abate the nuisance and the health hazard posed to the local residents.
“The Margao MLA along with officials had twice inspected the ring road near the Comba subway. We request him to please inspect the railway tracks between the Cine Lata migrant colony and the ICCI Bank stretch of the railway tracks and get the MMC and the Konkan Railway to take some temporary measures to drain the water,” demanded a citizen.
Local residents have also demanded that the GSPCB, Health Department and the Margao Municipal Council should inspect the nullah near the railway tracks close to the Cine Lata migrant colony and place the photos and ground reality before the High Court when the Public Interest Litigation filed by Navelim resident Prof Antonio Alvares comes up for hearing.
