Team Herald
MARGAO: Sharmad Raiturkar and some residents of Sirvodem have castigated the Margao Municipal Council for not taking any action against those releasing sewage directly in the gutters.
Raiturkar said the MMC would be responsible if the problem at Sirvodem is not resolved within a week.
He admitted that they have not given any representation to the MMC and assured that the same would be done soon.
Meanwhile, MMC chairperson Dr Babita Prabhudessai said she would be able to act in the matter only when she receives a representation or a complaint. Briefing media persons, Sharmad admitted that he was using the media to convey the grievance of the people of Sirvodem who are not able to use the playing field that they were using earlier and where farmers cannot cultivate their fields as earlier because of sewage engulfing their land.
They said that many households and even some buildings near the Sewerage Treatment Plant have not been connected to the sewerage system and are either releasing the sewage directly in the gutters or due to their overflowing septic tanks.
“Farmers complain that they cannot cultivate their fields as they filled with ankle deep sewage and the open area where children used to play is totally covered with sewage at present,” claimed Sharmad and demanded that the MMC should take punitive action against such persons by moving for cancellation of their water and electricity connections.
“The government has provided a good sewage treatment plant and also laws and rules to make people use this system, but the municipality is not taking any action and that is what needs to be addressed,” he said.
He pleaded against politicising the matter when it was pointed out that the government and the MMC were backed by his party with the only problem being that the concerned MLA and concerned councillor being from the opposition party.
He said the situation at Sirvodem is bad and tantamount to playing with people’s lives.
