S**t is floating in the Colva creek but does no one really know where it’s coming from?

MARGAO: A village, which has an Rs 100 crore Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) in the vicinity built with taxpayers’ money, has human dung floating in its creeks and groundwater.

Warning that raw sewage is flowing into the groundwater in Colva, the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum (CCCF) has demanded an independent probe to bring the culprits to book.

The Forum said that nearly hundred crores of rupees of the exchequer have been spent without a resolution.

The issue gained a lot of attention after Colva sarpanch Suzie Fernandes stated that her panchayat has no idea where the sewage is coming from but agreed that sewage is being emptied into the creek.  

The first petitioner in the Colva Creek sewage case Judith Almeida of the CCCF, said, “The Chief Minister should be most worried that the exchequer is suffering so badly that every time he has to borrow money to pay salaries. He should be seeing that all these departments are taking the projects which need to be completed in a time-bound manner.”

Judith alleged that over Rs 100 crore have been spent on the Colva Sewage Treatment Plant which has turned into a white elephant. 

No clue on how sewage is being released into Colva creek: Sarpanch 

Colva Sarpanch of Suzie Fernandes agreed that the sewage is being released in the creek but has no clue how and when that happens. 

“Sewage is being released in the creek. We have tried to investigate the matter. However, every time we find violations, we seek compliance from the establishments and they show. But, we have no clue how it is being released into the creek,” she said when contacted by O Heraldo. 

The Sarpanch said that if someone files a complaint in the matter with videographic or photographic evidence she can take action. 

To this, Judith Almeida said, “The delay in the sewage treatment of Colva is just a total planning failure. There was absolutely no planning while spending over Rs 90 crore on this project.” 

“The panchayat is the local self governing body. Did the panchayat have a long discussion about inspections on the entire polluters’ problem? Does the panchayat ever read the orders of the High Court? You only want to shirk responsibility,” Judith alleged. ”The authorities have power to file FIRs in these pollution matters. Show me one FIR filed in these violations,” she said.