MARGAO
Even as the new government headed by Manohar Parrikar has promised to sanction Rs 80 crore funds for a new underground sewage line from Arlem to Sirvodem, questions remains unanswered when the new line will become a reality. While TCP Minister, Vijai Sardesai has promised to get work on the new underground line commenced from December this year, it’s still unknown whether the Goa Sewage Corporation will commence work along the worst hit Ambaji-Old market-Sirvodem stretch or from Arlem.
That sewage and rain water has started gushing out, the first time this monsoon, is a grim reminder that the water bodies around the Ambaji-Old market-Sirvodem area are being inundated with sewage water.
Says petitioner in the High Court, Savio Dias: “The sewage water fountain in a reminder for the government to take up the replacement of the Ambaji-Old market-Sirvodem underground sewage line on a war footing. The people of these areas are facing a health hazard as sewage flows into the fields and storm water drains day in and out”.
Dias lamented that while the city is hit by the sewage menace, the PWD has not moved with alacrity to commission the multi-crore sewage treatment plants at the Sirvodem site. “The PWD has given an undertaking to the high court to commission the JICA STP at Sirvodem by May end. We are nearing the first fortnight of June and still things are not fallen in place”, Dias said, while hoping that the sewage water fountains will open the eyes of the PWD and JICA to the urgent need to commission the STPs.
