MARCOS GONSALVES
marcos@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Destruction of Salpem Lake and fields attached to the lake at Margao-Navelim border continues due to failure from concerned authorities to initiate strict action against the housing complexes allegedly releasing untreated sewage water into the gutters.
Surprisingly, sewage flows into the three main gutters at Sirvodem, Colmorod and Fakirband which are meant for storm water.
Herald revealed that the Margao Municipality has completely failed in this regard, despite directions from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in tackling the highly-polluted Salpem Lake for the past one decade.
The recent inspections from the civic body have revealed that many housing societies constructed near the border of Margao and Navelim continue to release sewage into the open gutters, leading to Salpem Lake and later into River Sal.
Locals of Navelim accused the MMC of failing to take strict action against the housing societies, upon the directions of GSPCB, which has forced them to approach the court to seek justice. On the other hand, Agnelo Fernandes, Chief Officer, MMC clarified that the civic body has time and again issued show cause notices to the concerned housing societies or the households involved in releasing sewage into the gutters.
Speaking to Herald Antonio Alvares, the petitioner in the High Court in this regard alleged that the Margao Municipality should have shown some seriousness on the issue at least to stop the release of sewage into the gutters.
“The civic body and the public fail to understand the definition of gutters meant for the flow of storm waters. At the moment the storm water gutters at Shirvodem, Colmorod and Fakirband, which are close to the Salpem Lake have been turned into gutters with regards to flow of sewage water, instead of storm water. And that is the main reason there is no check from the concerned authorities”, he claimed.
He said the issue has been pending for the last many years, and that too after the commissioning of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Shirvodem.
Antonio said there was clear cut instruction from the GSPCB to the Margao municipality to desilt the highly-polluted Salpem Lake and forthwith stop the discharge of untreated sewage into the lake, but the directions have gone begging till date.
Reviving the old memories, he said in the past the water in the Salpem Lake was very clean and people used to even bathe there, and now it is polluted due to the discharge of untreated sewage.
It has been revealed that neither the civic body has plugged the discharge of sewage into the lake nor has the health department verified the capacity and structural fitness of the septic tanks of the nearby housing complexes. There are several housing societies that are yet to be connected to the underground sewage line, connecting the Colmorod area to the Sirvodem Sewage Treatment Plant.
“Nearly 11 years ago, GSPCB had issued directions to the civic body to step in but in vain”, claimed another local from Shirvodem.
Incidentally, a few years ago, the Margao Municipal Council had ordered disconnection of water supply to the seven residential housing complexes at Colmorod, but the decision was later kept in abeyance for reasons best known to the civic body.
Antonio Alvares said upon the orders of the High Court, the Margao Municipality and other concerned authorities need to file their replies in this matter.
MMC CO Agnelo Fernandes said they have time and again issued show cause notices to the housing complexes releasing sewage into the public gutters, leading to the pollution of Salpem Lake.
“We have even instructed the housing complexes to take connections of the underground sewage line at the earliest to avoid further destruction of the lake and the nearby fields”, he said.
He admitted that discharge of untreated sewage into the gutters meant for storm water continues, despite warnings. The recent inspection revealed sewage flowing through the gutters.
