PONDA: There was furore in Sacorda after the PWD submitted its report to the panchayat claiming that the Ragda river water was ‘clean’ and fit for consumption, thus exonerating the fish meal plant of polluting the river.
Locals scoffed at the PWD lab test report claiming that the water was ‘clean’ and alleged that it was highly polluted and unfit for consumption.
Unhappy with the PWD giving a clean chit to the fisheries unit, the villagers also sent water samples to a private lab for testing fearing health hazards.
The irate locals presented a memorandum to Sacorda panchayat secretary Sushila Naik with signatures of 317 villagers, objecting to the PWD report and demanded that the panchayat take stern action against a fisheries plant which they have claimed is releasing untreated water into the Ragada river, thus polluting it.
The villagers later held a meeting at the panchayat hall on Monday morning and expressed concern after they found out that the Ragada river water was contaminated since last week.
The residents alleged that they were forced to consume polluted water and questioned as to what happened to the “har har jal” claim of government and wanted to know as to why they were not supplied with clean water.
The panchayat has now called for an extraordinary gramsabha on 3 March at 10 am to discuss issue of pollution.
Collem PI, Ponda DySP, Sacorda Sarpanch Priya Khandeparkar, deputy sarpanch Shirish Desai and panch members were present for the meeting.
The Sarpanch stated that adhering to the demands of villagers, an extraordinary gram sabha has been called on March 3 to discuss the issue.
“PWD, Goa State Pollution Control Board and Water Resources Department had all collected samples of the water from the river for testing. As per the report filed and sent to the panchayat on February 24 by PWD, the river water is not contaminated. We are awaiting reports from other two departments as well. However, we have already issued notice to the owner of the fisheries plant to produce all the required documents within the next three days or the panchayat will withdraw the NOC granted to the plant,” said sarpanch Priya Khandeparkar.
“People were supplied contaminated water through their taps. If the waste water is released by a fisheries plant then, we will take initiate action against wrongdoers,” she said. Police officials urged locals to follow the legal process and urged them to maintain law and order in the area.
Ragada river which flows through Sacorda meets Goa’s lifeline Mhadei river at Guleli and people are supplied water by a pump which is installed at Paanaswada.
