BENAULIM: Benaulim’s battle is now getting helping hands. The people of coastal South Goa have united to save the environment and their future. This time people from all walks of life, especially from Colva, Benaulim, Seraulim, Navelim, and others have united to save their lifeline – RIVER SAL -, which they fear, will get much more polluted with the sewage treatment line that will release the treated sewage water into the mouth of River Sal near Khareband.
Team Herald walked through the streets of Benaulim up to the Pedda ward of Benaulim where the work on the sewage pipeline is going on. Speaking to people and even the local leaders, it was learnt that they aren’t against the project but all they don’t want is that the treated sewage water should be released into the River Sal. This will pollute it much more which will not only affect the marine and water bodies but it will ruin the livelihood of the entire Salcete.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Social activist and environmentalist Royala Fernandes spoke on how all this started. She said that it was in April-May 2021 that work started and the huge pipes were kept along the roadside. By October the panchayat was proposed to look into the matter. She too reiterated saying that they aren’t against the project but won’t allow River Sal to get more polluted. Already the groundwater level is affected and this could lead to much worse days. The treated water from the sewage could be used to flush the toilets and for landscapes but not the rivers. Presently in Gurugram, in the National Capital Region, STP water is used for landscaping and other industrial use but in Goa for all this groundwater is used.
Panch member of Pedda, Benaulim Alzina Fernandes said that today the people are in tears thinking of what will happen in the future. Several villagers said that they don’t want more pollution, especially of River Sal. She added that the work is going in full swing which is causing a lot of inconvenience to the locals.
Meanwhile, the head of the Benaulim Biodiversity Committee Deputy Sarpanch of Benaulim Panchayat Nilesh Prabhudessai said, “Today the people of the village are blaming the panchayat for this, but I want to make it clear that panchayat is not involved in this, all these projects are already passed and discussed by the higher authorities and when the work is about to start the panchayat is informed by when the work has already begun. Today the government must be spending nearly Rs 2/3 crores on this 6 km pipeline and project but why against the people’s wishes, people don’t want the water to release in the River Sal, instead send this water to the industries or the several hotels and government departments for landscaping and other usages.”
Speaking on the pollution level of River Sal, a local resident Rock Fernandes pointed to the depleted quantities of fish in the river. The water is already so polluted that they can’t even put their hand into the river. And if more wastewater (treated or raw) is released into it this water won’t be of any use instead it will turn into a poisonous/ hazardous river.
The MLA too echoes this. “Our sole intention is that the treated sewage water should not go into the river. The entire model of the project can be redesigned, by ensuring that the public money that has been already used is not gone to waste,” MLA Capt Venzy Veigas said.
