MARGAO
With the Colva toilet block under the High Court scanner, the toilet operator has been directed by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to clear the sewerage generated at the facility on a day to day basis via an authorized night soil tanker.
An inspection of the Colva toilet block was conducted by a host of agencies upon the directions of the High Court after the petitioner in the Colva creek PIL case, the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum drew attention of the court to the discharge of sewage in the creek from the toilet block.
The Operator has been directed to commence clearing of Colva Beach Public Toilet Block immediately and to ensure that under no circumstances sewerage to be discharged in the Colva Creek or at any other unauthorized places without treatment.
While stating that the STP is not found functional at the time of inspection, the Operator has been directed to repair the STP immediately and make it functional. Even as the operator assured the inspection team to repair the STP and make it functional, the Inspection team have directed the operator to clear sewerage on day to day basis via authorized night soil tanker and report the same to the Goa State Pollution Control Board, Panchayat and GTDC on daily basis.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board has further directed the Operator to report the water consumption details and details of sewerage disposed along with the quantity on daily basis to Goa State Pollution Control Board, Colva panchayat and GTDC.
Another joint inspection of the Colva beach toilet block will be conducted by the agencies in order to ensure that the STP is repaired and made functional.
The Colva beach toilet block has been in the news recently after local villagers led by Sarpanch Suzie Fernandes allegedly caught red handed the toilet operator for discharging raw sewage into the adjoining Colva creek.
