Team Herald
MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council (MMC) has initiated hearings concerning the discharge of sewage into open areas and Salpem Lake, which is causing pollution. However, residents have criticised the council for not holding builders accountable for their failure to provide adequate sewage connections.
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According to the affidavit submitted by the MMC to the High Court in response to a petition by Antonio Alvares, a total of 317 show cause notices have been issued. Of these, 163 were directed at commercial establishments, while the remaining 154 were issued to residential premises. The civic body has reported that 163 of the show cause notices issued to commercial establishments have been disposed of.
Petitioner Antonio Alvares claimed that the civic body has neglected to address the accountability of builders who have not made proper sewage treatment provisions. He argued that this failure is exacerbating the issue. He stated, “Targeting the residents in apartments won’t resolve the issue, as many builders have yet to form housing societies, which is causing significant hardships for the residents.”
The MMC reported that an inspection was carried out in the area opposite Power Gym, focusing on the 20 MLD and 6.7 MLD lines regarding water stagnation. During the inspection, damage to the sewage line was discovered, prompting the MMC to request the PWD to rectify and restore the damaged line.
The MMC reported that around 18 cases lack any sewage lines entirely. However, in an affidavit submitted to the court, the civic body noted that the flow in the nullah near Kudchadkar Hospital has significantly reduced compared to levels observed in March this year.
Additionally, it was noted that around 39 commercial establishments have
connected their sewage lines to the main sewage line of Margao.
A show cause notice has been issued to 34 of these establishments, which include a mix of chicken and mutton stalls operating under the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA). The Goa State Pollution Control Board has directed the SGPDA to ensure that all discharges from the SGPDA market complex are connected to the PWD sewerage network.
