FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: Farmer and environmentalist Xavier De Almeida has written to the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) to see that St Inez creek is cleaned and rejuvenated at the earliest.
In a letter addressed to the CCP Commissioner and Mayor, De Almeida has said, “It has been observed that the ingress of saline water has been stopped. Due to which there is no in flow and out flow of water which use to happen in the past which in turn has caused stagnation of sewage and other hazardous material in the creek which has made the creek dirty and filthy and also destroyed the marine life and biodiversity of the creek.”
“This has been caused by a few gated complexes that boarder the creek as well as the slums which release the sewage into the creek. It has also been noticed that the STP at Tonca-Panjim is also releasing the sewage sludge into the creek,” he said.
Almeida has said that as water does not find a way into the river due to the blockage, it starts seeping into the neighbouring fields in Taleigao which is turn contaminates the fields and destroys the vegetation and also pollutes the groundwater table.
“The desilting and cleaning work done by the WRD has not given any relief to the creek and the same remains in a very pathetic condition. The work has to be done in totality by engaging experts in the field to do a professional job and maintain it thereafter. The same has to be done at the earliest,” he said.
De Almeida has suggested that in flow and out flow of the saline water should be started as it will cause the movement of all the debris and dirt that has accumulated in the creek over a period of time.
“In the present scenario, we apprehend that the creek will be a cause of a serious health hazard to the citizens of Panjim, Taleigao and surrounding areas. Hence we request your corporation to kindly heed to our humble request made above as a solution to having the creek rejuvenated and not turned into a hazardous bomb,” De Almeida said.
