MARGAO
The Committee for Western Bypass on Stilts at Benaulim led by Benaulim Sarpanch Xavier Pereira on Friday said the panel stands by PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral for his assurances on finding a permanent solution to the perennial problem of releasing raw and untreated sewage in the River Sal.
“We are of the view that what couldn’t be achieved even after a decade, cannot be completed overnight,” the Benaulim Sarpanch along with committee members Rudolf Barretto and others told the media on Friday.
The Sarpanch said the sewage issue in River Sal has been going on for the past decade with discussions at every Gram Sabha meetings, wide coverage in the print and visual media, and visits of bureaucrats and Chief Ministers. “The black water continued flowing down the River Sal over the years, with cosmetic measures undertaken at regular intervals at a huge expense to the exchequer. A strong new PWD Minister turns up at the site end of last month and in his byte to the press, promises to plug all the mess before the end of May 2023. No tall claims, no tall promises. Only practical solutions promised,” he said.
He added: “A week later, suddenly the River Sal becomes extremely polluted, that too after a week of the PWD Minister’s assurances. This is what makes us state that “Ajeeb hai Goa ke MLA”. Or was it only because of the PWD Minister’s bold decision to terminate the discharge line of the Colva STP at its original location as demanded by the Benaulim Panchayat and the farmers of the locality, that this issue of River Sal pollution was hyped?
Rudolf Barretto said that Chief Ministers, Ministers and MLAs, all have come and gone. “All that Benaulikars have seen are cosmetic measures undertaken which have only drained the exchequer and further destroyed the aquatic life of the river that survived the pollution. Permanent solutions are needed rather than stop-gap arrangements to play to the galleries,” he said adding “we also urge the powers at play to stop the hype being played for public consumption and to work with authorities to find long-lasting solution to the decade-old issue.
To achieve this and even otherwise, decorum has to be maintained, particularly when interacting with Ministers in a public forum, he said, without taking the name of Benaulim MLA.
