MARGAO: The general public, including those visiting the library, are forced to pass through the sewage water that is overflowing from three chambers located close to the Margao Municipal Council building.
Nearly 10 cobblers earning their livelihood just below the municipal building at the entry point of the library are forced to bear with the stink and sewage water that flows just a few feet away from where they conduct business.
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Even pedestrians find it difficult to cross the footpath which is full of sewage. The civic body and the Sewerage Department are yet to resolve the issue. Shockingly, even the manhole attached to the Margao Municipal toilet leaks on the footpath.
However, the head of the civic body says that they are not concerned with the issue as it is the duty of the Sewerage Department to repair the chambers.
Speaking to O Heraldo, on Friday, citizens besides, councillors demanded that the civic body to keep the surroundings clean so that the general public visiting the municipality don’t face inconvenience due to the overflowing sewage chambers.
“It is disgusting to witness the condition where the manholes of sewage close to the municipal building are overflowing for the last several days and no action has been taken to stop it,” said Paresh Naik, a citizen of Margao.
Naik stated that it is difficult to visit the MMC library due to the nauseating stink.
Councillor Mahesh Amonkar said that it is a health hazard not only to the people visiting the municipality but even to the staff of the civic body as the stink is unbearable.
“Several cobblers earning their livelihood by sitting below the municipal building are the most affected as the sewage is flowing very close to where they transact their business. Though it is the job of the Sewerage Department stop the nuisance from overflowing, the municipality also is duty bound to follow up the matter with the department on a regular basis,” he stated.
He requested the Chairperson of MMC to take the issue seriously.
However, responding to the issue, Damodar Shirodkar, Chairperson of MMC said that the Sewerage Department tried their best to resolve the issue but they failed.
Denying that there was any seepage of toilets attached to the municipal building, Shirodkar stated that he had already brought this issue to the notice of the Sewerage Department.
“It seems that there are some technical problems pertaining to the sewage pipeline and hence all the sewage water is being reversed back resulting in overflowing of chambers. We have taken all the measures to resolve the issue as per the directions of the officials from the Sewerage Department but failed to rectify the same,” he stated.
