…assures pollution free River Sal within a year

TEAM HERALD,
teamherald@herald-goa.com

MARGAO: The government on Sunday launched a Rs 37.89 crore 20 MLD C-Tech Sewage Treatment Plant at Margao, with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar promising that the project to arrest the decay and restore the pristine glory of River Sal within a year.
The project envisages construction of a 20 MLD STP and two waste water pumping stations with a pipeline connecting the Khareband storm water nullah and Salpem lake to the STP. ‘Within a year’s time, River Sal will be cleaned up of the pollution. The C-Tech STP will also control the foul odour and stink emanating from the sewerage treat-ment plant”, Parrikar said after laying the foundation stone for the long-awaited project in the presence of Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado, MMC Chairperson

Santosh Mirajkar

Chief Minister Parrikar laying the foundation stone for the construction of 20 MLD STP at Sirvodem-Navelim.

Dayanand Deulkar and officials.
‘During my first visit to the River Sal, I found the state-of-affairs of the river in a pathetic situation. The decay had set in the riven We had found that raw sewage water from Margao was flowing into the river via the Salpem lake and the Khareband nullah, Within a year’s time, the raw sewage water from the lake and nullah will be pumped into the STP before releasing the same in the river”, he said.

Allaying the apprehension of the residents of Sirvodem and Navelim over the stinking environment at the STP plant, Parrikar exuded confidence that the C-Tech plant will take care of foul odour. He pointed out though the tender was floated for an estimated amount of Rs 41 crore, the government managed to award the contract 8.8 per cent below the estimated cost.

In his address, Navelim MLA and Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado drew attention of the Chief Minister to the unbearable odour emanating from the STP plant and expressed his gratitude to the chief minister for launching the project. He also thanked Parrikar for his bold decision to return back the acquired fields back to the farmers, which were sought to be acquired by the previous Congress regime.

Margao Municipal Chairperson Dayanand Deulkar said that residents of Sirvodem-Margao and Navelim had to put up great sacrifices over the decision to set up the STP in their backyard and urged the Chief Minister to consider giving employment to the local youth in the plant.

A farmer Luis Rodrigues made a fervent plea to the Chief Minister to put an end to foul odour, raising apprehensions about the outbreak of disease in the locality.