GSPCB ordered to seal 51 units to stop discharge in storm water drains
File photo of sewage discharge into Margao storm water drains.
MARGAO
The High Court has issued host of directions to the Margao Municipal Council, the Goa State Pollution Control Board, the Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Ltd, the PWD, Sewerage in the Salpem lake sewage contamination Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Navelim citizen Prof Antonio Alvares, including sealing of units, to stop the discharge of sewage and waste water in the city storm water drains.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board has been directed to take action, including sealing the 51 commercial establishments which has neither consent to operate nor have made an application for consent to operate, within a period of four weeks from the date of the order.
The Court has issued directions to the Margao Municipal Council to inspect, identify and take appropriate action as regards the flow in the nullah near Kudchadkar Hospital within a period of twelve weeks from the date of the order.
The MMC has been further directed to complete the adjudication of all the Show Cause Notices (commercial and residential) within a period of ten weeks from the date of the order and file an affidavit of compliance within one week thereafter.
The civic body has been directed to inspect, verify and confirm the compliance of obtaining of sewage connection by the establishments. Further directions have been issued to the MMC to take action against the establishments within a period of four weeks from the date of the order, by either sealing the establishments, or, in the alternate, invoke its powers under Section 208 of the Goa Municipalities Act, 1968, by itself getting the sewage connections and thereafter claim the expense from the concerned defaulters.
Further directions have been issued to the Margao Municipal Council to take action against the 64 commercial establishments operating without a trade licence within a period of four weeks from the date of the order. The Margao Municipal Council is further directed to inspect and check sewage discharge throughout its jurisdiction, and consequently take appropriate steps/measures/action within a period of 16 weeks from the date of the order and file an Affidavit in Compliance within two weeks thereafter.
The Court issued directions to the PWD Division XXI and Sewerage and Infrastructural Development Corporation of Goa Ltd, to complete the connection of the PWD sewage connection to the SGPDA retail market complex for collection of all the sewage waste generated by the SGPDA market complex.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board has been directed to decide the applications made by the defaulters for obtaining of consent to operate within a period of four weeks after proper inspection and check of proper sewage disposal, in terms of law, and if the same is/are rejected, then the GSPCB is directed to immediately seal the premises.
The GSPCB is further directed to file a compliance report after verifying whether the Show Cause Notice against the Assistant Engineer, Sub Division I, Works Division XXI (PHE), PWD, Margao, for the treated discharge from the 6.7 MLD STP having excess faecal coliform.
The Court issued directions to the SIDGCL and PWD Division XXI to consider and take appropriate measures in terms of the recommendations made by the GSPCB, i.e., one, installation of phyrotid bed treatment system along the nullah flowing into the Salpem lake, and, to establish in stream treatment with phyrotid bed. “This aspect may be considered by the concerned respondents on priority and appropriate response be filed within a period of two weeks from today. In the meantime, SIDGCL may engage an Advocate to represent them”, the Court stated.
