Margao: As the joint inspection of the city’s stormwater nullahs on Wednesday unravelled the extent of sewage discharge into the drains, concerned authorities have agreed to work out an action plan on how to go about plugging the sewage discharge by getting the establishments and residential units go for the sewerage connections.
The authorities have agreed to resort to disconnection of water supply only after the PWD, Sewerage puts the infrastructure in place and the establishments and residential units fail to take connections.
The joint inspection was carried out by the representatives of the Margao Municipal Council, Goa State Pollution Control Board, PWD, Sewerage and the Margao Urban Health officer along with the petitioner in the High Court, Antonio Alvares on Wednesday.
At a meeting with the Chief Officer, the petitioner in the High Court explained to the officials that he has not knocked on the doors of the High Court to disconnect the water supply to the residential houses and establishments discharging sewage into the stormwater nullahs and in the Salpem lake, but to get the all the agencies find a solution to the issue.
“I have heard of these inspections in the past, but a solution has not been forthcoming from the authorities to date. I hope something will come out of the present exercise”, Alvares told the officials.
MMC Chief Officer later told the media that the civic body has issued notices to over 60-odd establishments to take the sewerage connections or face disconnection of power supply.
“The purpose behind the joint inspection is to find a solution to the issue and file a report before the High Court at the next date of hearing”, he said.
MMC Sanitary Inspector Viraj Arabekar said the PWD, Sewerage has been asked to put the infrastructure in place and release the connections.
“Many of the establishments have expressed their willingness to take the connections. We hope the PWD will release the connections”, he said.
A PWD senior official said the sewerage department has approached the PWD, National Highway for cutting of road at Colmorod to give sewerage connections to the residential and housing societies, saying connections will be released only after the road cutting permission is granted and the line is laid by the department.
Blaming the North main sewerage line for the ills plaguing the sewage network in and around Comba area, resulting in the discharge of the sewage in the stormwater nullahs and the river Sal, a senior PWD official on Wednesday announced that the line will be partially commissioned by May.
PWD official Pai said that the issue of sewage discharge in the water nullahs will be addressed once work on the replacement of the North Main sewage line is partly completed by May.
Pai further said the process of releasing sewerage connections is presently underway, saying connections are being released wherever the line is laid and completed.
