Team Goemkarponn
Porvorim: Aam Aadmi Party MLA Captain Venzy Viegas raised a strong demand in the Goa Legislative Assembly, urging the government not to commission the Colva Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) unless there is complete assurance that the facility is fully functional and safe. Citing repeated failures of sewage projects in Salcete due to poor planning, he warned that releasing untreated sewage would lead to the pollution of agricultural land and the already-degraded Sal River.
Responding to a calling attention motion jointly moved by Opposition MLAs Yuri Alemao, Cruz Silva, Altone D’Costa, and Adv. Carlos Ferreira over the release of untreated sewage into the Sal River, the Benaulim MLA accused the government of mishandling sewage management and ignoring Salcete’s topography while planning such projects.
Viegas said that the Benaulim constituency is bearing the brunt of this mismanagement, with untreated sewage flowing freely and causing a severe stench and environmental hazard. “When I was elected in 2022, work on the northern part of the STP had started. I had proposed using geo-bag technology to plug sewage discharge points and followed up consistently. Even then-Minister Nilesh Cabral and MLA Digambar Kamat had inspected the site, which was considered a successful model,” he recalled.
He clarified that the geo-bag solution was a stopgap arrangement until the full STP is completed — a process he said could take up to 15 years. “If geo-technology is not working effectively, other alternatives must be introduced immediately to stop the open flow of untreated sewage,” he asserted.
The AAP MLA also recounted an incident where sewage from the Navelim STP was allegedly released into the drains through opened valves, contaminating wells and eventually entering the Sal River. He demanded details from the government on the steps being taken to prevent such direct discharge.
Focusing on the Colva STP, Viegas said the plant’s pumping station is still non-operational and sewage from establishments like Longuinos Hotel has begun spilling into nearby fields. “This is a direct result of poor topographical planning,” he said.
“Earlier it was Margao, Fatorda, and Navelim. Now, Colva too is facing the same fate. If untreated sewage is released without testing the plant, it will lead to catastrophic damage to the village,” he warned.
