Staff Reporter

Margao

On the occasion of World Water Day on Wednesday, Navelim villagers demanded a joint inspection by pollution control board and other departments to find a solution to the issue of pollution in the tributary of River Sal passing through Navelim.

Holding a demonstration to highlight the condition of the tributary, the villagers urged the authorities to take cognisance of the pollution caused by discharge of effluents allegedly by the railway coach washing unit, so also due to release of untreated sewage and dumping of garbage into the tributary, which is dying a slow death.

Speaking to reporters, the villagers said that “the railway authorities must take cognisance of the concerns raised by the locals and implement steps to prevent the pollution of the tributary; they need to build a tank for collection of the wastewater from the coach washing facility and get it connected to the sewage treatment plant for scientific treatment of wastewater.”

“We also demand that the pollution control board and other government departments, including the water resources, public works, health, TCP, carry out a joint inspection of the entire stretch of the tributary and test ground water for contamination,” they said.

The villagers informed that the farmers using the tributary water for agricultural activity have been complaining of foul smell, which is making difficult for them to undertake cultivation.

“We request the authorities to unite for a cause to save the tributary of River Sal passing through Navelim. Some builders have been misleading the authorities that the tributary is a nullah. Permissions should be revoked as the buildings have encroached upon the floodplains of the tributary,” the villagers said.