The petitioner in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) Antonio Alvares on sewage discharged in the Salpem lake and other water bodies has drawn attention of the Margao Municipal Council to the storm water drains across the commercial capital carrying grey and black coloured water.
At the meeting of the core committee constituted to go into the sewerage issues facing the commercial capital, Alvares, who attended the meeting along with farmers from Sirvodem, Sinquetim and Ratwaddo, point blank told the members that while the issue of raw sewage discharged in the water bodies and the river Sal is one thing, the contaminated flow of water from the storm water drains have all ended up in finding its way in the open fields around the city and the tributaries of river Sal.
“There is litter of all types of waste including animal waste, oil and petroleum products from garages and also from the fish markets (wholesale as well as retail). This water is released either in the fields or the River Sal which is now highly polluted. While the Council has been pursuing the release of sewage connections, it has done nothing to stop the storm water drains from carrying contaminated water,” Alvares said.
He added: “As earlier submitted, the Council does not even have a plan of the drainage system showing the direction of flow. Even road side gutters are full of contaminated sludge, awaiting the first rains for the annual cleaning. It’s high time the Core Committee takes cognizance of the situation and takes corrective steps.”
Apart from the storm water drainages, the petitioner pointed out there is a sewage network which is connected to the STP plant at Sirvodem. “The Council has been pursuing the release of sewage connections. However, the vicinity of the STP plant is stinking and there are complaints from the locals that untreated raw sewage is being released from the STP plant into the river Sal through the canal coming out of the main sluice gate of Salpem Tolem fields,” he said.
He added: “It is also seen that a stone wall is constructed blocking entry into the field so that people cannot enter and check the flow of water in this canal. It appears that this is done deliberately at behest of SIDCGL. He prayed that immediate joint inspections regarding the above, including the working of the STP plant, to be done within 48 hours.”
The Core Committee meeting assumes significance given that hearing in the PIL petition filed by Alvares is scheduled to come up in the High Court early next week. At the last date of hearing, Alvares had expressed his dismay over the way the Margao Municipal Council has been treating the issue of discharge of raw sewage in the storm water drains, which finally find its way into the water bodies, including the Salpem lake and the river Sal.
