Sewage flow into water bodies: MMC holds another inspection, exercise termed as eyewash

MARGAO
Are the repeated inspections initiated by the Margao Municipal Council to check the sewage discharge in the drains and water bodies in the light of a Public Interest Litigation petition filed by Petitioner Antonio Alvares have in any way changed the ground reality in the commercial capital?

Petitioner Alvares has expressed his unhappiness over the inspections, virtually terming the exercise as an eyewash, even as the sub-committee constituted by the Margao Municipal Council on Friday conducted yet another inspection of sewage flow into water bodies.

This time, the panel comprising of petitioner Alvares, MMC and other officials descended at Sirvodem near the Sulabh toilet, only to come across sewage flowing into the adjoining fields. Owners of the fields, who also turned up for the inspection, said they are all ready to cultivate the fields of their ancestors, but cannot do so since the authorities, including the Margao Municipal Council has failed to stop the sewage discharge and clean up the fields. “We had stopped cultivating the fields after we were infected with diseases. We all want to return back to our fields if the Margao Municipality stops the sewage flow into the fields,” they contended.

Alvares, on the other hand, contended that the discharge of the sewage flow into the fields at Sirvodem near the public toilet shows that all is not well with the sewage network. “This sewage has been flowing either into the fields or to the Salpem lake or finds its way to the river Sal. This is a bitter reality in Margao and Fatorda,” he said.

He added: “These inspections initiated by the Margao Municipality is nothing, but a sham. The civic body is not interested in plugging the sewage discharge flows into the nullahs and the water bodies.”

When the team descended at Sirvodem near the STP plant, Alvares recalled the statement made by Water Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar to build a bund at the Salpem lake to conserve the water for irrigation. “The WRD Minister should understand that the issue here is not irrigation, but the fields devastated by the rampant discharge of sewage. The farmers have given up cultivation of the fields because of sewage flow from neighbouring Margao. We have heard of inspections carried out by the Pollution Control Board at the Salpem lake around two decades ago. The situation has not changed for the better till date,” Alvares lamented.

He told the media that he would draw attention of the High Court to the indifference and apathy by the concerned departments towards plugging the flow of sewage in the water bodies and the river Sal at the hearing scheduled on March 27.