VASCO, MARCH 21
While many hotels and residential homes have been accused of discharging sewage water in open spaces, the PWD now seems to be following in their footsteps.
It should have been treating sewage in a scientific manner, but the PWD Sewage Pumping Station 1 located behind Pai Hospital has been accused of discharging sewage water into a Nullah behind the pumping station.
Discharging sewage water in the Nullah has become a health hazard for local residents who have regularly been complaining about the stench in the area.
Sewage water from Chicalim, Vaddem and surrounding area is accumulated at PWD Pumping Station No 1 and much of it flows into an open drain, even though there are pumps installed to pump the waste from one station to another.
A local resident, Honorate Rodrigues, has been complaining about the matter to almost all the authorities, including the Goa State Pollution Control Board, but it appears that his complaints have fallen on deaf ears.
“Very often, sewage water is discharged into nullah twice a day, generating unbearable stench,” said Honorate’s wife, Fatima.
“The Chicalim Nullah, which is close to the pumping station, was desilted around 15 years back, but it has become completely polluted with constant discharge of sewage water,” she added.
Sources in the PWD claimed that it is mandatory to have a backup facility to discharge sewage water into a drain during an emergency, such as a power failure or a technical snag in the pumping station.
“Underground pipes have been laid to discharge sewage water. Unfortunately, due to the lethargic attitude of a few labourers, sewage water is discharged into the Nullah quite often,” admitted the PWD sources.
“Once the water level is increased beyond permissible limits at the pumping station, sewage water is automatically pumped out from an underground pipe which is connected to sewerage tanks,” the source said.
Sources further said that the PWD had recently decided to fix a valve to the underground pipe thus to avoid constant discharge of sewerage water, but residents assumed they were trying to laying another pipe and forcibly stopped the work.
