MARGAO
On a day of hectic developments, the Benaulim village panchayat on Tuesday issued a stop-work order to the Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa to stop work on the laying of the pipeline in the village to discharge the treated sewage water from the Colva sewerage plant into the river Sal.
In another development, Benaulim villagers comprising Jose Mario Fernandes and others filed an intervention petition in the High Court on the same issue, with a plea to issue an order restraining the authorities from discharging the treated sewage water from the Colva STP into the river Sal and to consider the alternative use for the treated water generated from the Colva STP.
The stop-work order signed by Benaulim Sarpanch Vencila Fernandes has told the Corporation officials to stop the work of laying the treated effluent disposal pipeline at Pedda-Benaulim immediately.
Reminding that the VP had earlier issued a stop-work notice on February 23 last, the Sarpanch, in the stop-work order said since the Corporation had failed to comply nor challenge the notice in accordance with law, the panchayat has again decided to issue the fresh stop-work notice today.
In fact, Sarpanch Vencila, deputy Sarpanch Nilesh Prabhudesai, panch member Eslinda and local residents all descended on the site of the ongoing work to serve the copy of the stop-work order.
Residents pointed out that soon after the notice was issued by the panchayat, the contractor stopped the work, though Corporation officials in private maintained that work on laying the line would continue unless the court issues the directions. Residents of Pedda-Benaulim had been opposing the Sewerage Corporation’s ongoing work to lay a line, connecting the Colva STP to the River Sal at Khareband, saying the discharge of the treated water would pollute and contaminate the river Sal.
