STP plan faces pushback at Chicalim gram sabha

Vasco: The gram sabha members of Chicalim village panchayat on Sunday strongly objected to the establishment of a sewage treatment plant (STP), which has been finalised by the panchayat body.
Congress functionary Viriato Fernandes and Ligorio Monteiro have alleged that the proposed STP will benefit builders and mega projects, rather than the villagers who have their own septic tanks.
“The gram sabha members have stressed that Chicalim panchayat should not set up the STP without consulting villagers and gram sabha members,” said Fernandes. He added that choked nullahs have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
“The panchayat should approach the departments concerned, especially the water resources department, for cleaning the nullahs,” said Fernandes. “As far as sewage and sew-erage are concerned, people have lots of complaints, especially about multi-dwellings and construction sites that pump sewage into nullahs. That is a major violation of the Public Health Act.”
Monteiro said, “A sewerage line is needed, but it should be properly planned by identifying the site for setting up the STP.” He said that people residing in and around Vaddem are suffering due to the release of sewage into a lake and nullahs there. He said similar problems should not occur in Chicalim.
He demanded a special gram sabha meeting to clarify matters about the STP.
Chicalim sarpanch Kamla Prasad Yadav, however, said that the STP will benefit the whole village.
A member of the Chicalim Youth Farmers Club, Alisha Pereira, moved a resolution asking for the protection of agricultural land in the village and to rejuvenate barren lands. The resolution was unanimously passed.
“Agricultural land is scarce and we need to protect it from the constructions and non-agricultural projects that are coming up,” said Pereira.
Pereira said youth from the village and beyond should be encouraged to take up farming.