Govt comes up with Rs 373-cr sewerage treatment project

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-10-07
PANAJI- The government has prepared an ambitious Rs 373-crore sewerage treatment project for St Inez city area, Porvorim satellite township, Taleigao village, Ponda town and most of the thickly populated villages along the South Goan coastline.
Highly placed official sources informed ‘The Navhind Times’ on Monday that a financial proposal for this project would be soon forwarded to the central government for monetary assistance. The estimated amount in this proposal that will be spent on the sewerage system for South Goan coastline is Rs 170 crore, it was informed.
It may be recalled that the Japan Bank for International Cooperation under the Goa water supply and sewerage project, has already given an assurance to provide Rs 84750 lakh to the state for various water supply and sewerage schemes. However, the money is expected to be spent on such schemes in North Goa, including Calangute-Baga-Candolim beach belt.
The sources informed, “It has been observed that the sewerage treatment problem has become very severe along the coastal areas, especially after a number of hotels, guesthouses and other accommodations have come up along the beach belt due to boom in tourism sector, during past few years.”
The Rs 373-crore project also includes provision for a new sewerage treatment plant at St Inez worth Rs 28.85 crore and another one for Taleigao worth Rs 76.18 crore.
A limited number of people in Panaji have taken sewerage treatment connections even though the city regularly receives around 12 MLD potable water, out of which 10.50 MLD water is converted into sewage water.
“Presently, we are in the process of increasing the sewerage treatment connections in the city,” the sources informed.
“As regards Porvorim,” the sources stated, “Its population has reached 15,000, while there is no sewerage treatment system available on this large plateau.”
“This is resulting in spread of diseases like malaria, in and around Porvorim during the monsoon,” the sources added, maintaining that Porvorim satellite township regularly receives 4.5 to 5 MLD of water, while the amount of sewage water generated is 3 to 3.5 MLD.
The Rs 373-crore sewerage treatment project further has a provision for creating Rs 56.12 crore worth sewerage treatment infrastructure for Porvorim.
Records inform that during the last financial year, altogether 2,811 free water connections were provided to the consumers around the state, with around 14,000 new households receiving potable water through taps.