Team Herald
CALANGUTE: The Calangute locals have strongly objected to setting up a sewage pumping station in a residential area at Naikawaddo.
Talking to reporters on Saturday, Naikawaddo residents said that earlier the plant was proposed to be set up at Gaurawaddo and but was objected to by the people living there.
Currently the site identified at Naikawaddo is in a temple property and the people allege that have not been taken into confidence and the project was being forced on them.
A couple of days ago a JCB was brought to carry out the work with the help of the police, but the locals stopped the work.
The locals informed that they have file two complaints at the panchayat objecting to the sewage pumping station, but they have not received any reply to the same.
A resident, Arlette Fernandes said that the pumping station is coming up in a residential area despite the objection by the locals.
“It is coming up right in front of my house. Most of the people residing here are senior citizens and knowing that no one will object to it, the panchayat has (issued licence). We are being given false promises that it would not smell, but look at the world class garbage plant itself the stink comes up to Calangute. We do not want another disaster at Naikawaddo,” she said.
Another local said that this decision was taken by the panchayat and the NOC was given by the Deputy Sarpanch when the Sarpanch had gone on leave. Actually, the pumping station was supposed to come up in Survey No 118 at Gaurawaddo for which land was acquired.
Calangute Sarpanch Shawn Martins said, “To start the long pending sewage plant in Calangute, we need the pumping station and the land acquisition for the same has been done long back. The entire sewage project could stall if the work of the pumping station doesn’t start and we cannot afford to do that. I understand the apprehension of the locals because, no one will want a sewage pumping station near their homes but we need to take a decision as the JICA funding will stop after May 31.”
He warned that if the pumping station is not built, the entire ground water of the village would be contaminated.
“NOC for the alternate land was given long ago by the temple committee and now they have given us an alternate area close by because the earlier spot was a prime area. There is no other alternate land available for this plant and there will be definitely be an objection if put anywhere else as well,” Martins said.
Deputy Sarpanch Sudesh Mayekar said that such objections would arise but the sewage treatment plant is the need of the hour in Calangute.
