Margao’s drainage network. Will it pave the way to plug the discharge of sewage water into the storm water nallahs.
MARGAO
The Margao Municipal Council had last week finally put in place the city’s drainage network plan, listing the elaborate network of underground storm water nallahs and drains, thanks to the High Court directions in the Salpem lake pollution Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Navelim resident Prof Antonio Alvares.
What’s next, however, is a question that may come to haunt the Margao Municipal Council, the Public Works Department and the Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL) with the city’s drains and nallhas continuing to carry raw sewage and waste water into the water bodies and the adjoining river Sal.
For, a drainage network will no doubt go a long way in finally making available an elaborate plan of drains and nallahs crisscrossing the ever expanding city, before the water channels empty the sewage into the river Sal all along the course passing through the city.
A drainage plan, however, by itself will not help to plug discharge of raw sewage and waste water discharged in the city’s storm water nallahs and drains. Sources said, the plan may at the most come in handy for the Margao Municipal Council and the PWD to identify the drains, the source of water pollution in the commercial capital before initiating action to plug the discharge.
The drainage network has thrown up a host of questions for Margao Municipal Council. One, how would officials of the civic body now go about identifying the source of sewage disposal in the city with the help of the drainage network? Or, will the civic body now launch a concerted drive in the city, with the help of the drainage network plan, to plug the sources of sewage pollution in the city?
The Margao Municipal Council had around a year ago unearthed a host of commercial establishments and households, around in the market area of the commercial capital, discharging sewage in the drains. While some of the erring hotels had connected their establishments to the sewage network, there were others which went scot free on the ground that the underground sewage line does not pass in the vicinity of these establishments.
When The Goan contacted MMC Chief Officer Gaurish Sankhwalkar to shed light on the drainage network plan put in place by the civic body, the Chief Officer was categorical in saying the drainage plan would act as a reference plan for the Municipality vis-à-vis sewage discharged through the nallahs and drains. When asked what was next on the part of the MMC with the drainage network plan in place, the Chief Officer said the plan will guide the civic body how to go about plugging the sources of sewage discharge in the drains. “We have just put the plan in place. Now, the civic body will have to put a system in place to crack a whip against the erring establishments and households discharging sewage in the drains”, he added.
Petitioner in the High Court Prof Antonio Alvares pointed out that the drainage network put in place by the MMC will remain on paper unless the civic body acts against the erring establishments. “The drainage plan by itself will not resolve the sewage pollution. There has to be follow up action by the authorities”, Alvares demanded.
