MARGAO: Following the revelation of sewage discharge into Colva Creek from a public toilet, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has taken swift action, instructing the contractor responsible for the toilet facility at the Colva beach parking area to ensure continuous operation of the sewage treatment plant (STP) during operating hours.
Dr Shamila Monteiro, the Member Secretary (MS) of GSPCB, has also mandated that the treated wastewater meets the standards set in the Board’s consent. By invoking relevant sections of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, the contractor has been explicitly instructed to refrain from releasing untreated sewage into the vicinity. Failure to comply may result in severe legal repercussions, including fines based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle, without issuing any further notices, the Board warned.
Additionally, the MS instructed the contractor to furnish a compliance report to the Board within 15 days of receiving the directive.
Despite conducting an inspection on Tuesday, the contractor allegedly persisted in discharging untreated sewage into the creek, stated the Board.
During the inspection, the GSPCB team noted public utilisation of the toilet but highlighted the non-operational status of its STP. The STP area was found locked and inaccessible for inspection. Upon inquiry, the team learned that the STP only operates for two hours at night, as per information from the toilet’s pay counter. The Board mentioned that the public toilet, equipped with a 40 KLD capacity STP, obtained operational consent on October 6, 2022. GSPCB’s notice also confirmed that raw sewage was observed being discharged from the toilet’s STP into the Colva Creek and added that these violations led to environmental pollution in the area.
The Colva Police has submitted a report to both the GSPCB and the Health department under Section 133 of the Criminal Procedure Code, highlighting concerns regarding sewage discharge into the Colva creek and its impact on public health.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas also echoed the Sarpanch’s demand for the immediate closure of the toilet block at Colva and condemned the evasion tactics employed by the toilet management and their ‘baseless accusations’ against local stakeholders.
