MARGAO, APRIL 16
Even as the debate rages whether it was prudent to flush out stagnant waters of the Colva creek into the open sea, it has now come to light that the Water Resources Department carried out the construction of the trench following a request from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority nearly two years ago.
GCZMA made the request to the Chief Engineer, Water Resources Department on May 7, 2008 following a note received from the Tourism Minister, Mickky Pacheco dated April 5, 2008.
Pacheco’s note stated that the Creek linking to the sea at Colva beach has got blocked due to the shifting sand in the monsoons. “This has resulted in the stagnation of water, which is posing a great health hazard. The situation is so bad that the entire area is stinking and I fear that if measures to clean up this creek and prevent the shifting of sand at every monsoons are not taken immediately, the situation could go out of control”, Pacheco stated in his note, while requesting the Minister for Environment to issue necessary instructions to do the needful in the matter.
Accordingly, GCZMA Member Secretary Michael M D’Souza on May 7, 2008 requested the WRD Chief Engineer to initiate suitable action and remedial measures to clean up the Creek so as to flush the stagnant waters into the open sea through a preferred channel/passage. “This would aid in free seaward flow of creek waters, thereby reducing the possibility of any in-situ accumulation of waste/throw-away garbage which causes stinking in the surrounding area”, D’Souza stated in his letter to the WRD.
A senior WRD officer informed that the present work of building the trench connecting the creek to the sea at Colva was being carried out as per the request of the GCZMA to flush out the stagnant waters.
Incidentally, exactly a week after the trench was built by the WRD through a contractor, labourers were seen working at the trench to restore the condition of the beach by capping the trench. Sources said two labourers were found working at the site on Friday and it could not be ascertained which agency has engaged them to cap the trench.
