http://oheraldo.in/node/10823
Sewage system a major worry for Panjimites BY HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 9 – The sewerage system is a major issue dogging Panjim and both the main panels - of Babush Monserrate and Manohar Parrikar-Somnath Zuwarkar - contesting the March 12 Municipal Corporation elections have assured Panjimites that the city would be entirely covered with underground sewerage lines. Currently Panjim has two sewerage treatment plants (STPs) – one at Patto and the other at St Inez Tonca. Though normally the life-span of a STP is 30 years, the Patto STP is less than ten years old. It was constructed by the Economic Development Corporation but the tendering and construction of the project was allegedly embroiled in a scam. Later, the matter was investigated by the CBI and recently two senior engineers had been brought into the CBI ring. The small STP is yet to cater to the entire Patto area. Government quarters at Patto and some other buildings have not been connected to the STP. Sources however said that this will be done soon as the work has already been tendered. The new 12.5 MLD C-tech (cyclic technology) based STP constructed with foreign technology, takes care of around 75 % of the city. This was commissioned less than two years ago. Some areas are yet to be covered. Officials however say that this has not been done so far because of technical difficulties like laying of pipelines through steep slopes. To cover the Taleigao and Dona Paula areas, the Government has plans to put up a new STP in the near future. Currently, a major problem on the sewerage front is overflowing of septic tanks from residential-cum-commercial complexes in the city. The PHE section at Tonca strictly conducts checks and reports are regularly sent to the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) for action. It is the overflow or leakage from private pipelines that led to an outbreak of jaundice in 2003 after sewage entered into a cracked water pipelines. Officials say the main sewage lines are more than one metre below the ground level and there is hardly any possibility of sewage entering into water pipeline. Contamination generally occurs from private lines. In fact, sewage is a major factor for the contamination of city wells. The government however is working on a Japanese Development Bank-aided sanitation programme that is expected to improve the situation in Panjim within a year or two. -- TUMCHER AXIRVAD ASSUM; DEV BOREM KORUM. Gabe Menezes. London, England