MARGAO: A multi-departmental joint meeting was held at the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) on Wednesday to discuss the High Court petition regarding raw sewage being discharged into drains of the town, which flow out into River Sal and Saipem lake in Navelim.
This petition will be taken up for hearing next month and MMC along with the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) have been asked to file a compliance report before the HC by April 3.
This joint meeting was chaired by the MMC Chief Officer (CO) Gaurish Sankhwalkar, and officials from GSPCB, Margao Urban Health Centre, Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa (SIDCGL), PWD’s Sewerage Division, Water Resources Department, PWD’s Water Supply Division, Electricity Department and the Navelim-based farmer and petitioner, Professor Antonio Alvares were in attendance.
Sources stated that the petitioner conveyed his dismay at the slow pace of works carried out and that he felt there was a ‘blame game’ underway instead.
Sources added that SIDCGL disclosed difficulties in completing certain sewage connections in areas which have a steep slope gradient. The CO however was stern with the authorities and said that if they do not find solutions soon, accountability would be reflected in MMC’s affidavit to the HC.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, CO Sankhwalkar defended the ongoing efforts, citing regular joint meetings aimed at brainstorming solutions and expediting pending works.
He also revealed that MMC had found 287 establishments (including commercial and residential), who were found releasing their sewage into the storm water drains.
Sankhwalkar explained that they had been served notices and their replies were shared with the PWD’s Sewerage Division which has to take care of this.
The CO said the PWD was asked to carry out an inspection to see if these establishments, as well as other places across the town that don’t have connections yet, can be given the connections at the earliest.
He added that in areas where connections cannot be given at the moment, a new solution would have to be found and that the PWD had mentioned that they had spoken to a consultant about using new technology for completing the sewerage network there.
Sankhwalkar further stated that the main sewerage construction line would be completed in two months’ time, according to information he had received.
The CO added that it is the PWD’s responsibility to follow up with fines to get those establishments to complete their sewerage connections failing which, he said their water connections will be disconnected.
He also referred to a recently issued government circular that mandated residential and commercial establishments to obtain sewerage connections if there is a sewerage network in their respective areas and that if such places fail to do so, they would be fined through their water bills.
