Team Goemkarponn
VASCO: Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar on Thursday demanded a thorough investigation into the mysterious discharge of black liquid into the Mestawada nullah, calling the incident an “act of sabotage” aimed at creating unrest. The legislator has requested the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to conduct an immediate assessment, facilitated the collection of water samples for testing, and lodged a formal police complaint.
“This is my second inspection and we have involved all the authorities in this incident because it could be sewerage, but prima facie, it looks like oil,” said Salkar, speaking to reporters after a joint inspection.
“Since we are not technically equipped to determine the source, samples of the black liquid have been collected by the Sewerage Department and now we have also involved the GSPCB. We have filed a police complaint and requested the Mormugao Deputy Collector Bhagwant Karmali to carry out a detailed inquiry,” he added.
Salkar, who suspects mischief behind the incident, emphasized that any deliberate contamination of the water body could have serious consequences for local farmland and ongoing infrastructure works.
“This appears to be a deliberate act meant to create unrest. I feel someone has committed this mischief and it is nothing short of sabotage. We are in the process of identifying the source, and once that is done, we will take strict action against those responsible,” Salkar asserted.
The MLA noted that the affected area is farmland where a new sewage pumping station is being set up to connect houses that have long lacked proper sewage systems.
“The sewage issue here has existed for over three decades because the houses never had sewage connections. But now, things are changing. We have established a sewage network and are setting up a sewage treatment plant. We have always supported the farmers and cannot tolerate such acts that could damage their fields,” he said.
Salkar also reassured residents that no stone will be left unturned in tracing the origin of the pollution.
“We are committed to finding out how this black liquid ended up in the Mestawada nullah. If someone is found guilty of such irresponsible and harmful behaviour, they will be dealt with strictly,” he said.
In a separate development, the Vasco MLA also addressed the city’s preparedness in dealing with the monsoon and potential flooding issues.
“We are actively undertaking desilting works, maintaining drainage systems, and implementing real-time monitoring to reduce the risk of waterlogging, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas,” Salkar stated.
He urged the public to cooperate with the authorities and assured that necessary measures were in place to manage the heavy rains effectively.
