MARGAO
After the cholera outbreak at Goa’s largest fishing hub last year, there is finally a ray of hope that the long-pending sanitation project proposed at the Cutbona fishing jetty around a decade and a half ago will finally see the light of day.
There is, however, a catch regarding whether the project will become a reality before or after the onset of the coming monsoons.
While Sulabh International has commenced work on the construction of the 50-seater toilet block at the fisheries complex, Cutbona jetty, in earnest, work on the proposed Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) has yet to start at the project site.
Unless the STP is built and commissioned by the authorities, sources fear the 50-seater toilet block, in itself, may not bring the desired results on the sanitation front, given that the water table is high at the Cutbona jetty and the construction of a septic tank will not be of any help in addressing the problem of sewage disposal.
A visit to the Cutbona fishing jetty has revealed that work on the 50-seater toilet block undertaken by Sulabh International, at an estimated cost of around Rs one crore, is going on in full swing. Along with the new toilet block, Sulabh has also taken up the work of renovating the existing toilet block and is also constructing eight bathrooms at the site.
A senior official from Sulabh International, Brijesh Singh, said the agency is rushing with the work on the sanitation project, exuding confidence that the work will be completed by the end of April. Brijesh told 'The Goan' that while the civil work is nearing completion, the agency is undertaking the plumbing fittings. “We have set a target to complete all works on the toilet block by the end of April. Work on the project is progressing as scheduled. The toilet block should hopefully be ready by the end of April,” he said.
Asked to shed light on the proposed sewage treatment plant at the site, Brijesh said the Fisheries Department is in touch with the Sewage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd to install an STP at Cutbona for the treatment of sewage.
He, however, hastened to add that Sulabh has decided to put in place a septic tank at the site of the proposed toilet block as part of the project.
Sources told 'The Goan' that, given the high water table at Cutbona, the area excavated by Sulabh to build a septic tank is filled with water. They said Sulabh faces the task of draining out the water collected in the excavated area before it can proceed with the construction of the septic tank.
Sanitation and hygiene came to the fore at the Cutbona fishing jetty at the beginning of the fishing season last year after the jetty was hit by cholera and dengue, resulting in the deaths of a couple of workers employed on the fishing vessels.
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Tender issued for STP, but approval delays threaten timely completion
MARGAO: The Sewage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd has floated a tender for the construction and maintenance of a 100KLD Sewage Treatment Plant at the Cutbona fisheries complex.
However, there is uncertainty about whether the corporation will be able to start and complete the work on the STP before the onset of the monsoons. The STP will be built as a depository work for the Fisheries Department at an estimated cost of Rs 3.11 crore.
SIDCGL officials have confirmed that the corporation will take up the work of design, construction, supply, installation, testing, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of the STP. While the corporation has opened the tender, the agency is awaiting expenditure sanction approval from the Fisheries Department to issue the work order for the successful bidder.
“It all depends on the Fisheries Department how fast they give the nod for expenditure sanction for the STP project. If the sanction comes immediately, we can get the contractor to start the work immediately to ensure the groundwork is completed before the monsoons,” informed a SIDCGL official.
The official added: “We opened the tender on March 25 and the file has been sent to the Fisheries Department for expenditure approval since SIDCGL is undertaking the work as a depository work for the Fisheries Department. The work order will be issued to the contractor as soon as the Fisheries Department gives the nod for expenditure sanction.”
The official informed that the STP cost includes the GST, and the contractor will be liable for the maintenance for a period of 10 years.
