OLD GOA
The Santa Cruz Panchayat along with the Chimbel Primary Health Centre on Thursday conducted a joint inspection of an alleged unauthorised toilet constructed in a field after complaint from farmers.
The farmers also complained that there is sewage discharge from the toilet which affects them during cultivation.
However, health officials led by Chimbel PHC Medical Officer Dr Jude D’Souza did not find any sewage discharge during the inspection. But as the complainants reiterated that sewage discharge from the toilet enters the fields during the rains, Dr D’Souza advised them to intimate health authorities as and when the sewage discharge occurs.
“Right now, there is no sewage discharge from the toilet but we have asked the complainant to intimate the health as and when such discharge occurs,” said Dr D’Souza, while stating that the owner has been asked to produce NOC from the health department for construction of toilet.
“The owner will be given seven days time to produce the NOC failing which the health will write to the Santa Cruz panchayat to initiate further action,” Dr D’Souza said.
Meanwhile, the owner, Sydney Fernandes, said the Santa Cruz panchayat has granted NOC to conduct business in his property. He further said that the panchayat, in the NOC, has also directed him to make provision for a toilet.
“There is no open defecation and if the cultivators have any problem, I am ready to comply,” Fernandes stated.
On the issue of manufacturing cement products at the site when the NOC pertains to only sale of products, Fernandes said the issue never arose in the past.
“For seven years, I am paying taxes to the panchayat. Why they didn’t raise the question then?” countered Fernandes, while stating that the entire issue is with mala fide intentions as he had raised an issue of illegal extension of houses in his in-law’s property.
However, the complainants, Luis Braganza and others, stated that sewage from the toilet overflows into the field during the rains, which makes it difficult to cultivate the field.
“There is chemical and cement discharge also as the cement products are manufactured at the site, and we want that such activity should be stopped,” the farmers said.
Santa Cruz Sarpanch Namdev Naik, Deputy Sarpanch Indira Fernandes, Sanitary Inspector Namdev Naik and others were present for the inspection.
Reacting to the allegation that the inspection was done with mala fide intention towards the owner, Santa Cruz Sarpanch Namdev Naik said the inspection was done after complaints from the cultivators.
“It is not done to take revenge against anybody,” stated Naik, while adding that for him everybody is equal.
