Housing societies continue to spew sewage
TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Have inspections by the Goa State Pollution Control Board or the Cansaulim Health Centre or the local panchayat body brought any change in the ground reality in coastal Benaulim hit by sewage and waste disposal in public drains and nullahs?
This question has come to the fore as a GSPCB team descended on the village following a complaint that a housing complex is discharging sewage waste in the drains. A fortnight ago, a Cansaulim health team had inspected another housing complex on a similar compliant that sewage was flowing down the drains creating a stink in the neighbourhood.
Convenor of Benaulim Civic and Social Forum Jose Rodrigues lamented that the authorities, be it the GSPCB or health department or the panchayat have miserably failed to crack a whip against the erring housing societies and plug the sewage. “People of Benaulim have been making complaints to the authorities, right from the Pollution Control Board to the health department and the panchayat body over the last six months, but the end result is zero. We have only witnessed inspections and inspection reports, but the ground reality remains unchanged”, he asserted.
Jose continued: “Though inspection reports point to sewage discharge by the complexes, action has not been forthcoming from the authorities for reasons best know to them. We are forced to knock the doors of the judiciary since these authorities have abdicated their responsibility on the health and hygiene fronts”.
During Monday’s inspection, the GSPCB team found a drinking water well filled with plastic and garbage inside.
When Herald spoke to the GSPCB team leader Pravin Faldessai to throw light on today’s inspection, he said he would soon submit a report to the Board higher ups.
Incidentally, residents demanded to know why the GSPCB has mandated only residential units beyond 24 to make provision for sewage treatment plant, saying that building with 15 and more apartments should be made to provide for STPs.
