MARGAO: In response to the recent inspection ordered by the High Court petition to assess the persistent pollution of Salpem Lake, Navelim, a group of citizens has claimed that the inspection has brought to light facts that authorities prefer to keep silent and sweep under the carpet.
The inspection has revealed the substantial amount of waste in the nullah nearby, serving as evidence that waste collection and management in Margao have failed despite an expenditure of over Rs 1.5 crore every month, stated Savio Coutinho, former Chairperson of the Margao Municipal Council. He emphasised that the Shadow Council for Margao, a collective of citizen activists, has consistently highlighted shortcomings in waste collection and management, but due to ‘vested interests’ and ‘benefits from waste management contracts’, the culprits receive protection from legal action.
The increasing flow of sewage through Margao’s nullahs that empty into Salpem Lake and River Sal is another indication that the government’s claims of an effective sewerage network in Margao may not hold true, Coutinho added. “On paper, it is projected that thousands of residential/commercial units are connected to the sewerage network. Then post monsoons, why does the volume of flow in the nullahs fail to decrease?” Coutinho questioned.
Lalan Parsekar, another concerned citizen, expressed the collective plea of the people of Margao to the High Court, urging them not to accept misleading submissions from various government Departments as the truth. The group of citizens also appealed to the authorities to work sincerely in finding a much-needed solution to the persistent problems affecting the city, rather than wasting the Court’s time with false submissions.
