Threaten agitation over PWD inaction
The overflowing sewage chamber which has left the drinking water wells contaminated at Comba.
Photo Credits: Santosh Mirajkar
MARGAO
An overflowing sewage chamber raised a stink in a thickly inhabited residential colony at Comba, posing a health hazard to the local resident.
Locals have suspected that the overflowing sewage water has left the local wells contaminated and the storm water drains filled with sewage water.
In fact, residents of Comba have been subjected to the ordeal for over a month now, with locals saying the PWD, sewerage has only employed temporary measures, which has given them permanent relief from the stench and bad odour.
Taking cognisance of the ground reality, the Margao Urban Health Officer has requested the PWD, Sewerage to abate the nuisance by taking appropriate measures as may be required and repair the same on priority basis for permanent solution.
A site inspection conducted by the health centre on December 28 has revealed that a sewerage manhole is overflowing with sewerage water running on the road and also gets stagnated/ collected in the rain drain. The report stated that the water stagnation is emitting foul smell and likely to be potential breeding place for mosquitoes and can lead to vector borne diseases in the locality.
“There is a well that belongs to the complainant and might be possible that the well water gets contaminated. This is a nuisance from the health and sanitation point of view under section 37 of Goa Public Health Act (Act 25 of 1985),” the site inspection report stated.
Local residents on Thursday have called for immediate measures to work out a permanent solution to the issue. Ex-Margao Municipal councillor Ketan Kurtarkar has virtually set a deadline on the PWD officials to attend to the problem on priority, failing which he has threatened to collect the sewage and dump the same at the PWD office. “Enough is enough. The residents of Comba had to undergo this trauma for the last one month. The PWD has only tried to clear the blockage in the underground line, which has failed to resolve the issue,” Ketan said.
Saying that the patience of the local residents is running out, Ketan has warned of an agitation if the PWD fails to attend the same on priority.
Local residents have suspected contamination of the drinking water wells in the locality, even as they lamented that the concerned authorities have not attended the issue with all seriousness.
