PONDA: Sacorda villagers marched to the panchayat on Wednesday morning after they found out that the Ragada river water was contaminated. Locals were agitated as the same water was supplied to them through a pump.
Villagers have accused that a fisheries project in the area is releasing waste water into the river. Sarpanch Priya Khandeparkar, deputy sarpanch Shirish Desai and panch member Jitendra Kalekar inspected the site at Deoulwada, Sacorda as locals were using the water for the past few days. WRD engineers have taken water samples and have sent them for testing.
“People were supplied this contaminated water through their taps and it could result in severe health hazards. If the waste water was released by a project then the panchayat needs to withdraw NOC granted to them. Villagers are already agitated and if the incident repeats, we will intensify our protest,” said Nilesh Mapari, a local.
“The panchayat has issued no objection certificate to a fisheries plant located close to the river. We will inform the Goa State Pollution Control Board as we fully understand the health hazards this could pose to villagers. However, villagers have not filed a formal complaint with us yet,” said sarpanch Priya Khandeparkar.
Ragada river which flows through Sacorda meets Goa’s lifeline Mhadei river at Guleli and people are supplied water by a pump which is installed at Paanaswada.
