MARGAO: Amidst concerns of sewage contamination and the discharge of the waste water into the sea, the officials of the Water Resources Department (WRD) inspected the Colva creek and the surrounding areas.
During the inspection, Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and some locals, who joined the officials, advocated for the closure of a nearby toilet block to mitigate worries over sewage contamination.
They underscored the necessity for daily manual upkeep of the creek, emphasising the indirect flow of contaminated water into the sea. Additionally, they expressed intentions to communicate with the tourism and WRD ministers to expedite bureaucratic procedures and address the imminent tourism season’s demands, suggesting the provision of alternative shower facilities for tourists.
It may be recalled that in December, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) issued notices to 43 commercial units in Colva, including hotels and restaurants, to connect to the 7.5 MLD Colva Sewage Treatment Plant (STP). Owners were asked to apply to the Sewage Infrastructure Development Corporation
Ltd (SIDCGL) within a specified time frame to get their respective sewage connections. This action was in connection with a petition before the High Court regarding the unabated discharge of sewage into Colva creek.
The petitioner, Colva Civic and Consumer Forum had repeatedly complained not only about the poor condition of the creek due to this unresolved issue but also how the creek water mixed with sewage wastewater was often finding its way onto Colva beach itself. The petitioner had also lamented that despite multiple inspections being carried out by the authorities concerned over the last many years, the problem still persists.
