PANJIM: Housing the putrid St Inez creek and the illegal shanties along its
banks, Ward No 13 has been in the news quite often. Represented by BJP-backed
councilors for quite some time, the ward has seen development, including laying
of new water and sewage pipelines, but has failed to get relief from the
stinking and contaminated creek.
The ward covers St Inez and
Dayanand Bandodkar road and is currently represented by Bharati Heble. For the
March 6 polls, the ward has been reserved for OBCs, and Heble is contesting
from the adjoining ward No 11 reserved for women. BJP has fielded Adv Vishnu
Naik against Dinesh Salgaoncar backed by Atanasio Monserrate and Congress’s
Sameer Chari.
The creek that originates
from Taleigao and flows past Camrabhat, Tamddi Mati, Tonca continues to stumble
past behind the Military Hospital, Don Bosco High School and ESG complex, from
where it empties itself out into Mandovi River. Wards 4, 5, 8, 11, 12 and 13 have
the creek running through.
Though
local MLA Siddharath Kuncolienker had assured to take up the cleaning of St
Inez creek on priority, there has been not progress.
“It is a
long-pending project. The Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation has
prepared Rs 80 crore DPR and accordingly the first phase of work has begun.
Also GSIDC has floated a tender for a culvert near Inox,” Heble told Herald.
A local
resident complaining of the stink from the creek, said that for over two
decades, the creek has remained completely neglected with all kinds of waste, including
human waste, being released into the creek’s waters. “Neither the councillor
nor the authorities have shown any interest. Just before elections they will
undertake some work and post that everything is forgotten,” a senior citizen
and resident of the ward for 45 years said.
Cleanliness
and beautification of the creek will be one of the biggest challenges before
the new council as well as the new councillor. The creek has been highlighted
in the Panjim Smart City Project.
Goa State
Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) after observing that the dissolved oxygen in
the creek is almost nil with no aquatic life, has begun an aeration process to
treat the polluted creek waters. The project is expected to give a new lease of
life to the sewage-filled creek.
Acute water shortage and improper interior
access roads are other worries of this ward. The councillor has recently
managed to put in new water pipelines in the ward. Apart from that traffic
signals have been set up near the St Inez church and the junction to easy
traffic movement, but these are yet to begin functioning.
