MARGAO: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) issued notices to around 43 commercial units in Colva, such as hotels and restaurants, to take connections to the 7.5MLD Colva Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
As per the letters sent by GSPCB Member Secretary Shamila Monteiro, the owners of these establishments have been asked to make applications to the Sewage Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (SIDCGL) for getting their respective connections to the sewer line of the
7.5 MLD STP at Colva for onward treatment of sewage generated within the unit premises.
The owners have also been asked to submit compliance reports within seven days.
Incidentally, many of the Colva-based establishments are located near the
beach and are part of the Tourism Complex. The government-owned Tourism Residency has also been issued the notice.
It is to be noted that the High Court (HC) is holding a hearing in connection with the status of the STP on December 12. SIDCGL and Colva panchayat are parties to the petition, and SIDCGL has been asked to file its compliance report before the HC too.
SIDCGL has also been asked by GSPCB to submit the status of the STP, which should include details on the number of applications received from establishments for STP connections and the number of connections issued so far.
The petitioner, Judith Almeida of the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum (CCCF), had approached the HC in a bid to address the continuous discharge of sewage into Colva creek from commercial establishments near the beach.
Almeida felt that GSPCB should have initiated this process much earlier, at the time when PWD had come on record to state that the Colva STP was ready for commissioning in all respects. She felt this would save time and also ensure that the commercial units were getting connected to the STP.
Given that directions have finally been issued, Almeida said she hopes that this reflects on the ground and does not remain on paper only, and reiterated that the end result is to save the Colva creek and water bodies, which are being contaminated due to the sewage water flowing in.
