MARGAO
In an interesting development, tourism stakeholders from Colva have pointed out that many of the hotels and establishments had voluntarily applied to the PWD of the sewerage connections, but the same has not been taken to the logical conclusion till date.
A Colva-based hotelier told The Goan on Monday that he had submitted two applications of hotels to the PWD for connecting the premises to the 7.5MLD Colva Sewerage treatment plant. Sadly, he claimed that he was told by a PWD engineer that the applications will be processed only after the plant is inaugurated and commissioned.
“There’s a misconception amongst the minds of the public that the tourist establishments, including hotels and restaurants are not willing to connect their establishments to the Colva STP. This is not true. I had submitted two applications to the PWD to issue the sewerage connections, but I have been told that the applications will be granted only after the STP is inaugurated”, he added.
The statement made by the hotelier assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the directions issued by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to 43 hotels, restaurants and commercial establishments in the tourist village to apply to the Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL) to issue the sewerage connections.
While giving the establishments seven days time to seek the connections, the GSPCB the further asked the SIDCGL to file a status of the 7.5MLD STP given that the Board had given the consent to the plant in August last.
