CURCHOREM: The residents of Curchorem are upset as the government has failed to provide sewerage facility in Curchorem areas as promised by Curchorem MLA and Power Minister Nilesh Cabral in his election manifesto.
It is learnt that Curchorem-Cacora Municipal Council (CCMC) in 2019 granted permission to construct a Sewerage Treatment Plant STP in their property situated behind the existing KTC bus stand, Curchorem.
“Porvorim and Undir in Ponda got permission to set up STP even though they submitted their proposal after our proposal and therefore people are questioning us and demanding STP as Curchorem is in a low lying area and therefore not suitable for individual soak pits,” CCMC Chairperson Felix Fernandes said and urged Cabral to get it approved from the government immediately.
“It is proposed to shift and construct a new modern KTC bus stand near the Ambedkar circle on municipal land and therefore the existing KTC property taken over by the CCMC in exchange of land near Amdekar circle,” Fernandes informed.
According to Fernandes, a multipurpose market for fish, vegetable and meat would be constructed in the existing KTC property after shifting the bus stand to the new site and therefore the STP is proposed behind the existing bus stand so that the waste from the market can go directly to STP.
When contacted, accepting that the proposal got delayed, Cabral said that he was also upset as things are not moving quickly as required.
“The proposal for Rs 142 crore (Rs 155.03 crore, Revised with 12 percent GST) STP was submitted soon after obtaining NOC from CCMC to construct it by using their 5000 square meters land was not approved during the EEC meeting held on December 6 in 2016 and differed it till the next financial year. During the meeting held on January 15 this year under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Parimal Rai, again it was differed,’ Cabral said.
He also informed that despite the land availability, people and council demands for STP, proposal for Curchorem which was placed before the EEC was deferred not only once but twice and the proposal for Undir in Ponda and Porvorim was approved even though land is not available in Porvorim and people are objecting.
“I will take up the matter with chief minister and try to get it approved at the earliest,” Cabral assured.
