In what is turning out to be an annual complaint with no solution in sight, the residents of Margao have once again petitioned the government to look into the matter of wells getting contaminated.
“Our drinking water well is now contaminated and has some substance floating on the water. We have seen some black oily liquid in the well. This well was being used by the residents when the PWD water supply broke down,” read a complaint filed before the Health Department and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
What has upset the locals of Margao is that this complaint had to be filed two days ago when just a month earlier, the Health Department, GSPCB and the Margao Municipal Council had carried an inspection of the Old Market storm water nullah. At that time, the inspection team had promised to issue notices to the PWD and the Sewerage Department to get the line rectified.
The complainant further called for fresh inspections of the nullah and has suspected that sewage has seeped into his well.
For the last few years, the issue of sewerage seeping into River Sal has raised several red flags and the government has promised action even initiating an ambitious ‘Mission Salcete’ that can now be called ‘Mission Impossible’.
Recently, the Collector had inspected 20 wells at Sirvodem, Margao along with the Margao municipality sanitary inspector after having received complaints that the water was contaminated. In Comba, local resident Abhishek Motankar had complained that water samples had been taken to the PWD as part of their complaint to get their basic facility of drinking water.
Compounding this issue for the people of Margao is the condition of the ailing 7-km long sewerage line, connecting Fatorda area – right from Arlem to the treatment plant at Sirvodem. PWD officials admit in private that the Arlem-Sirvodem line has been crying for attention, warning that piecemeal works will not help to stem the rot.
“Unless the entire line is replaced with a new one, the problem will return to haunt the people again and again,” said a senior PWD official.
Overflowing sewage chambers are a common phenomenon all along the stretch, particularly along the Ambaji-Old Market and Sirvodem-Khareband stretch. “It is shocking and surprising to note that the Fatorda sewerage line is not on the priority list of the government,” said Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai.
In view of the fresh complaint filed, the Health Department and the MMC have addressed a letter to the Sewerage Department to stop the sewage release.
Margao residents have also threatened to move the High Court if the authorities fail to stop the rampant discharge of sewage waste in the town’s storm water drains.
