Team Herald
MARGAO: Madel residents have sent a legal notice to the Chief Secretary and Fisheries Minister demanding that all sewage leakages into River Sal be plugged first before starting the second phase of the desilting of River Sal. They stated that it would be a waste and misuse of public money otherwise.
The notice, filed by Adv Judas Chagas Silva on behalf of Madel activist Savio Dias, pointed out that sewage waste and raw sludge from the Margao sewerage line is being directly released into the River Sal and the same is found in large scale in the desilted river.
“That prior to the first phase desilting being taken up, there was no project plan to stop the release of sewage in the River Sal, which would have been the right course of action. That despite large amount of public money being used, the River Sal bed is not cleaned up due to more sewage and sludge waste being dumped in the river. That the water is not clean, nor can the river be cleaned and restored to its olden times of immense natural beauty by the desilting process that has been undertaken spending crores of rupees,” read the notice.
Silva further demanded that disposal of sewage and sludge be stopped, forthwith from Fatorda to Khareband, all across the river, its tributaries, as well as the drains/nullahs, which lead into the River Sal.
“This disposal of raw sludge and sewage, which has now polluted the River Sal for the past many years, has clogged and contaminated and continues to contaminate and pollute the River Sal, besides emit a very foul smell. This pollution percolates the adjoining fields and low-lying land, ponds and lakes,” said Silva.
The legal notice also raised concerns that the groundwater had been polluted and rendered unfit for consumption and pointed out that it was known that the bacteria level in the River Sal is in dangerous proportions and that even cattle, by instinct, avoid drinking this water.
While demanding that appropriate measures be undertaken before commencing the second phase of the River Sal desilting, the legal notice demanded that till this is complied with fully both letter and in spirit, that no further de-silting be carried out to avoid wasting public money and Central funds.
