The news report "Raw sewage discharged into Sal due to non-functioning treatment plant (TGE Nov 5) has brought into sharp focus the growing negligence of the Goa govt of safeguarding the environment and keeping our state rivers free of pollutants, especially the raw sewage and industrial effluents of toxic nature which are detrimental to public health and marine life.
It is primarily the responsibility of the PWD and environment minister to ensure the smooth functioning of all sewage treatment plants in the State without passing on the buck. It is sad that this is not happening on some pretext or the other. It is therefore time for the chief minister to take immediate action so that the situation and condition of our rivers do not follow the pattern of the sacred River Ganges where faecal coliform bacteria levels are 3000 times higher than the limits set by WHO.
