GSPCB probes into sewage discharge by resort at Colva

MARGAO, APRIL 20
Officials of the Goa State Pollution Control Board on Tuesday returned back to Colva, this time to probe into the discharge of sewage by a beach resort.
Acting on a complaint lodge by local NGOs, the Pollution Control Board officials descended at the premises of the beach resort this afternoon to ascertain allegations that the STP plant installed inside the premises is non-functioning and that the sewage is directly released in the waters.
The two-member GSPCB team personally verified the STP and found that it has been non-functioning since the last three days. The team also took in account the waste being dumped in the backyard of the resort and was told by the employees that the waste is burnt periodically in the absence of any disposal facility set by the local authorities.
Incidentally, the Pollution Control Board team was told by the locals that the practice of setting the waste on fire is being resorted to by many establishments to do away with the tones of waste generated by the establishments.
The team has asked the hotel management to submit the documents in a bid to find out where they are disposing off their waste on a daily basis.
Local activist Judith Almeida demanded that the government agencies coordinate and put a system in place for the welfare of the people. She has vowed to seek the assistance of the Goa Pollution Control Board to inspect the hotel establishments and approach the court to enforce the rules in force.
The Colva Civic and Consumer Forum has requested the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to act against the illegal mode of discharge of waste and the illegal structures.