MARGAO
Raw sewage discharge into the river Sal due to alleged non-functioning of one of the two sewerage treatment plants (STP) at Margao brought back into sharp focus the handling of the sewage generated in the commercial capital.
An agitated Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas was quick to make a fervent plea to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to immediately sack Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral for gross violation and negligence saying the sewage from the STP is being discharged into river Sal just because the minister has not sanctioned Rs five lakh towards its maintenance.
The incident has only confirmed the worst fears of the people inhabiting the bank of river Sal that raw sewage from the Margao STP is being discharged without treatment.
What’s interesting to note is that the raw sewage is being discharged into an adjoining stormwater nullah, which later finds its way into river Sal, for more than a fortnight now for want of maintenance. The maintenance operator was point blank in claiming that though he had asked to place funds amounting to Rs five lakh to repair the system, the funds are still not forthcoming from the government.
The Benaulim MLA with a group of volunteers made his presence felt at the two STP plants at Sirvodem after residents complained of the river Sal emanating foul sewage odour over the last few days.
After inspecting the plants, the MLA said while the computer is showing excellent performance of the STPs, the ground reality showed otherwise. For want of maintenance, he pointed out that raw sewage from one of the STP was flowing into river Sal polluting the environment.
Even as he suggested temporary measures to plug the raw sewage disposal into the river, by connecting the defective plant to the second STP with a hose, the Benaulim MLA telephonically spoke to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and briefed him about the gross violation and negligence of the PWD Minster, who is also the Environment Minister.
Venzy told the media that he has made a demand to rectify the situation and to stop the gross violation of the environment.
“I have requested the Chief Minister to initiate action, going to the extent of becoming the first Chief Minister in the whole of India and the history of Goa to sack Nilesh Cabral for gross negligence and for allowing damage to the environment,” he said.
He added: “I requested the Chief Minister that his name is getting spoiled just because of the negligence of the Environment Minister since the officials had told Cabral to release funds for the maintenance."
He said the Environment Minister should come out with an answer to the alleged negligence or resign from the Pramod Sawant government, saying that Nilesh Cabral has put the Chief Minister to shame.
“The Central Ministry should take stock of how the State Environment Minister has allowed the discharge of raw sewage when he ought to have sanctioned the repair and maintenance of the STP system,” Venzy said.
He added: “I will take up the matter with the Centre and the Prime Minister. I have requested the Chief Minister not to take such a Minister as Environment Minister under him. If Cabral does not fix the issues at the STP by tonight, it is my request to the Chief Minister to sack the Environment Minister.”
