PANJIM: It’s been twelve days running, the raw sewage continues to flood the ‘Jovita’ building located near the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) office at Mala in Panjim.
Even though the authorities concerned claimed to have fixed the leakage in a PWD’s sewer line which was one of the causes that led to the raw sewage to flow in the public drains of Mala, the drains are still full of raw sewage which is now stagnated.
Initially, the CCP had stated that the situation would be under control after leakage in a sewer line addressed, however even after the situation didn’t improve, the City Corporation then stated that the things will fall in place once the vacuum sewer system is commissioned in Mala.
The truth is that people continue to be affected severely by the raw sewage menace and it continues to pose a threat to their health.
“The situation has not improved, we are forced to walk through stinking raw sewage flowing in our building compound. Fish and snakes swept in by sewage entered our compound. It’s high time that a permanent solution is worked by the authorities concerned. We request the government to do the needful,” Praveen Sutar, a Mala resident said.
“We were assured by the authorities that required steps will be taken to stop the flow of raw sewage into our premises. But it has been nearly two weeks. Nobody is bothered, we are helpless. We don’t know what to do and where to go,” Pranav Shanbhag, another resident of Mala, said.
Former Mayor and senior-most councillor, Surendra Furtado said that it was the time for the people of Mala to raise their voice in a democratic way for being compelled to live in inhumanely conditions.
Furtado said, “Shubham Chodankar is the only Councillor from the ruling panel who is raising his voice and fighting for the rights of his people. There are other wards which are also affected by sewage menace. Why are others mum? This is a serious issue. Are other Councillors scared of someone? People of Mala are also quiet and suffering, why are they not hitting the street?.”
