MARGAO: Following the Margao Municipal Council’s (MMC) failure to come out with the action plan to prevent release of sewage water into the Salpem Lake within two months, the High Court has granted the civic body another four weeks time to finalise the plan.
A petition filed by Antonio Alvares, a resident of Navelim, was heard by the High Court on September 27, wherein MMC through its lawyer S Karpe put forth the submission stating that the plan is almost ready and will be finalised within four weeks.
Further, the civic body said that once finalised, the plan along with the compliance report will be submitted and sought another four weeks time, which was granted by the Court.
It is pertinent to note that Alvares, who had filed a PIL in the High Court regarding the release of raw sewage into Salpem Lake, had expressed his frustration over the flow of sewage into the rivulet leading towards the River Sal in the fields and requested the authorities concerned, besides the neighbouring panchayats, to initiate some action plan.
Later at the last hearing, the High Court had pulled up the authorities and directed them to finalise the plans and complete the exercise to prevent flow of raw sewage into the lake within two months, which authorities failed to do so.
The court had stated that the Chief Officer and Municipal Engineer will be responsible for completing the work within two months.
The petitioner had noticed several places in and around Margao, including Fatorda and Benaulim, from where the sewage continued to flow into the rivulet leading towards the River Sal.
Besides, the petitioner, several other citizens too had earlier expressed their frustration on the issue. However, the locals had even claimed that no concrete action plan was seen on the ground from the authorities concerned to prevent the flow of sewage into Salpem Lake.
Alavres told O Heraldo that at the time of hearing he too agreed to grant more time to the authorities, but said the issue needs to be resolved.
Earlier, Alvares had said that he was informed that the council does not have properly planned-out gutters. In response, one of the counsels for the State government said the MMC is coordinating with the PWD to solve the issue.
