In a shocking incident, alert citizens from Sancoale area along with acting Sancoale Sarpanch Girish Pillai caught a water supply tanker while allegedly transporting sewage late Friday night.
The incident sent shock waves across the area after residents alleged that the water tanker had been supplying water to many residential areas in the MES College area and other nearby areas.
Residents also claimed that the tanker had also supplied water to a temple during a religious function recently.
The residents immediately demanded action and the Sarpanch Girish Pillai alerted the police who immediately rushed to the site.
Pillai told reporters that it was shocking to find a water supply tanker allegedly loaded with sewage.
“I got a call at around 7.30 pm from people stating that a septic tanker was pumping sewage in the water tanker. We will not tolerate this and we will take stringent action in this incident,” said Pillai.
“We have noticed that at least ten septic tankers are parked in the industrial area and all of them are half-loaded. We have insisted that not a single septic tanker should be seen in this area and they can park in the houses of their respective owners.”
“The tanker must be seized by police and not given back to them because the water tanker and septic tanker are playing with the lives of innocent people. We will write a letter to all authorities to act on this incident,” said Pillai.
A resident, Naresh Agarwal, said this was the second incident where alert citizens had spotted illegalities with sewage discharge in the area.
“We along with Pillai had caught a sewage tanker while discharging sewage in the gutter and handed over the truck to the police but there was no action. We then decided to keep a watch and we are shocked to see the septic tanker pumping sewage in the water tanker in the open in full public view in the middle of the road,” said Agarwal.
“This tanker that supplies water may not even clean and this water supply can cause diseases to everyone in the area if there is no action. There may be many more water tankers who are involved in such acts and the authorities must keep a check on the quantity of sewage taken or where they dump and compile data all over the state.”
“We also appeal to people across Goa to stay vigilant and check on such acts where water tankers may be used to transport sewage and slowly dump it in the gutter,” said Agarwal.
