Team Herald
MARGAO: In an interesting development, after consulting a lawyer, Benaulim Village Panchayat on Monday decided to again issue a stop work notice to the Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Limited (SIDCGL) pertaining to laying of pipeline for the treated sewage water.
Adv Dhawal Javari, appointed by the local body, advised the panchayat body that they have the right to issue a stop work notice.
Deputy Sarpanch Nilesh Prabhudesai said, “They have received a reply from the lawyer and hence the panchayat will issue a stop work notice to the SIDCGL again.”
Repoetedly, recently Benaulim villagers had strongly opposed the laying of pipeline for the release of treated sewage water into the River Sal from the sewage treatment plant at Colva.
Earlier too, the local body had issued a stop work notice to the SIDCGL, but in the later stages the Corporation replied stating that they don’t require any NOC from the panchayat under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act to commence the work.
“It has not been brought to the notice of the panchayat by the lawyer that the SIDCGL neither replied nor challenged the earlier stop work notice issued by the local body nor any higher authority has issued any order in this regard,” Deputy Sarpanch said.
Further, he said that earlier too, they had applied for the NOC, which was rejected by the panchayat.
“Now, once again we will issue a stop work notice to the SIDCGL,” Nilesh said.
It is pertinent to note that the Benaulim villagers have pledged to save the River Sal from pollution. They have even decided to fight the legal battle, and soon a petition will be filed before the National Green Tribunal.
Recently, the villagers had even charged the panchayat body for not showing required seriousness towards the issue.
“We have not decided yet to file a petition before the High Court, as the lawyer has not advised anything in this regard. Our next course of action will be to issue a stop work notice,” Deputy Sarpanch said.
