MARGAO: At the meeting of the core committee of the Margao Municipal Council, was formed to sort out the sewage contamination of River Sal and Saipem lake, the petitioner in the High Court, Antonio Alvares, who had filed the PIL, listed out various problems that still exist and urged the authorities to take immediate action.
Farmers from Sirvodem, Sinquetim and Ratwaddo in Navelim were also present for the meeting and the issue of how waste water is flowing out of storm water drains across Margao town into River Sal and thereafter into its tributaries and Saipem lake was highlighted.
Alvares spoke about how all types of waste including oil and petroleum products, animal waste and waste water from fish markets is being released either in the fields or the highly polluted River Sal. He lamented that MMC had done nothing to stop the storm water drains from carrying contaminated water.
Alvares further added that the civic body does not possess a plan about the drainage system that can show in which direction the water flows and that the roadside gutters have not been cleaned and are presently full of contaminated sludge, which would find its way into the water bodies once it starts raining.
Besides this issue, Alvares also spoke about the sewerage network connected to the Sirvordem-based Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). He explained that while MMC has been pursuing the release of sewage connections, the fact remains that there is a foul stench emanating in the vicinity of the STP. He added that there are also complaints from the locals in that area about untreated raw sewage being released from the STP plant into River Sal.
