Paucity of funds likely to delay sewerage projects in State (herald)

Paucity of funds likely to delay sewerage projects in State August 28, 2013 TEAM HERALD PANJIM: Paucity of funds has brought work on public sewerage network projects worth Rs 1500 crore to a grinding halt. The projects proposed across the state were to be executed by Goa Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation. The financial crunch is likely to hit the over Rs 500 crore mega sewerage network project proposed for the South Goa coastal belt even at a time when the central zone (Colva) is in urgent need of sewerage systems to tackle water pollution in this tourist location. Goa Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation data shows that other projects proposed at Ponda (Rs 400 crore), Old Goa and Kadamba Plateau (Rs 190 crore), Porvorim (Rs 190 crore), Vasco/Cortalim (Rs 250 crore) are also making no headway due to non-availability of funds. Presently work of laying sewerage lines in parts of Margao and Navelim are underway and slated for completion by 2014. The Managing Director of the Goa Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation Arvind Patil who has just returned from New Delhi, told Herald, “We are trying very hard to arrange for funds through central schemes and hoping to persuading central agencies to sanction some funds towards many of the important projects especially for the coastal belt.” According to this corporation, work put together by the sewerage corporation and PWD accounts for only 15 per cent coverage of dwelling unit under the sewerage network. The corporation said that besides shortage of project funds , the corporation is also facing problems at panchayat level to get land for setting up sewerage treatment plants. Patil was of the general opinion that all agencies need to work together especially in the coastal belt to tackle the issue of sewerage through systematic networking and treatment since Goa is a tourist destination. It is learnt that the sewerage corporation has forwarded a proposal under the National River Conservation Scheme with the Ministry for Environment and Forests to fund its sewerage networking projects. However States where rivers are contaminated due to sewage discharge into rivers have been given preference and Goa will have to wait for a while. Sources say that thankfully Goan rivers, due to the tidal effect, are still far from high levels of contamination due to sewerage discharge. However one cannot be complacent, an official say. Sewerage projects likely to be affected l South Goa coastal belt project- Rs 500 crore l Ponda project - Rs 400 crore l Old Goa/Kadamba Plateau project - Rs 190 crore l Vasco/Cortalim project - Rs 250 crore l Porvorim project Rs 190 crore l Margao ongoing project - Rs 110 crore l Navelim project - Rs 50 crore