Dumping in St Inez Creek annoys Corporator Calls on the authorities to levy hefty fines on builders, others found littering the area Gomantak Times, May 18, 2013
Corporation of the city of Panaji(CCP) corporator Bharati Heble has urged the Governement to levy hefty fines on construction firms and/or others found littering the St. Inez creek and to carry out regular Inspections by the CCP/ Health Department and the Goa State Pollution Control Board to ensure that builders maintain healthy/ hygienic standards in their under-construction buildings. In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar regarding the cleanliness, rehabilitation and Land Acquisition of the St. Inez creek, Heble said that this creek is presently in an extremely polluted and unhygienic state, full of plastic, garbage, debris, litter found dumped inside and stench emanating from the waters. Heble pointed out that some construction works are being carried out close to the St. Inez creek and workers keep dumping debris and/or other construction material inside the creek thereby obstructing the free flow of water. Several illegal hutments have been built near the creek and few houses in the campal heritage area have also encroached their boundaries into the creek area, she said adding that houses located in St. Inez Bandh lack toilet and sanitation facilities. People have built their toilets into the creek thereby contaminating its waters, she charged. The Sewage Department is also found pumping untreated sewage into the creek, particularly during the monsoons. Colonies and/or houses in the Campal area located opposite the Campal Football Ground are still not connected to the underground sewerage system. Some restaurants dump their wet waste into the creek. Garbage/ Plastic/ Litter is also found continuously dumped into the creek thereby polluting the waters. Stench emanating from the creek waters has become unbearable. The CCP Corporator said that though the intentions of the present Government are right, however, due to lack of co-ordination between the different Government authorities and agencies and/or reluctance on the part of Government officials to take tough measures, the creek which has the potential to be developed into an aesthetic and beautiful spot and a pride of city has turned into a nightmarish experience for residents living in its vicinity. Heble has demanded that land adjoining the creek must be acquired and works of Rehabilitation of the legal houses next to the creek must be carried out on a war footing. She said that Zero Tolerance approach towards illegalities must be adopted and illegal hutments and/or other encroachments must be demolished in a time-bound manner. Heble has urged the Government to appoint Special agencies to keep the creek regularly clean, healthy and hygienic and efforts be made to get in Corporate funding for carrying out the cleanliness works. She has suggested that one centralized agency be appointed to co-ordinate the works with all the different Government agencies for the restoration of the creek to hygienic standards and demanded that Central funds under the JNNURM may be immediately sought for carrying out the development and beautification works of the St. Inez creek. According to Heble, a Spanish Consultancy firm has been appointed to carry out the holistic development of the Panaji city and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is known to perform and deliver, has asked this agency to give top most priority to the development of the creek. However, until the full-fledged works for developing and beautifying the St. Inez creek are carried out which is likely to happen within the next one year, the above mentioned measures may be undertaken on priority basis and the Chief Minister’s personal attention to ensure the strict compliance of the above and/or other necessary measures to give immediate relief to the city public will be greatly appreciated. Copies of the letter have been forwarded to GSIDC Chairman, Chief Secretary, North Goa Collector, CCP Mayor and Commissioner, Chief Town Planner, North Goa Planning and Development Authority, PWD, Water Resources Department, Goa State Pollution Control Board, Sewage Department and the Goa Rehabilitation Board.
