VASCO: Residents of Chicolna-Bogmalo, as well as the panchayat body, have giving a seven-day ultimatum to the naval authorities to stop discharge of sewage into the storm water drain leading to the village. They have threatened to block the main entrance/exit gate to INS Hansa from the museum side if the discharge of sewage is not stopped.
Villagers said they have been seeing the release of sewage into the drains connected to the stream used by the villagers. The residents said they had complained before the panchayat last year after which the local body wrote to the concerned Health officer and a team of the health office had conducted a site inspection on August 26, 2014 and directed the naval authorities to stop release of waste through the open chambers into the open/storm water drains. The health authorities had also directed that a soak pit be constructed immediately for proper disposal of waste water from the naval kitchen/mess after which the menace had stopped but started again some days ago, resident’s complaint.
“We thought that the nuisance was stopped but we were wrong as recently the release of sewage started again but this time we are not going to take this easily and will protest against the naval authorities for putting villagers into hardships,” said Bogmalo resident Rita Fernandes.
Residents said that over four cases of dengue and malaria have been reported and all the victims live close to this storm water drain. Taking note of the issue, Sarpanch Laxman Kavlekar, along with residents gathered at the site on Wednesday and decided to take immediate steps to block the main entrance, but later decided to give the Navy a week to stop the menace.
“The issue of sewage release into storm water drains was raised at the gram sabha meeting as the whole area alongside the nullah started emitting a foul smell besides polluting wells and streams in the village. We decided to give a final ultimatum of seven days to the naval authorities to stop the menace failing which we might even take law into our hands,” Kavlekar said.
Later in the day the health officer in charge from Cortalim rushed to the site and inspected. The report is awaited.
