80 CRORE PACKAGE FOR GOA’S SEWERAGE WORKS BY CENTRE: HOW MUCH WILL BE POCKETED BY POLITICIANS OF GOA?

PANJIM: For the first time, the sewerage and infrastructure development corporation of Goa limited ( SIDCGL) knocked on the doors of the planning commission of India and managed to obtain a grant of Rs 80 crore for its proposed sewerage works in the state.

The sanction follows the recent visit of a high-level delegation of the Goa government headed by chief minister Digambar Kamat, heads of departments and senior bureaucrats for a meeting with the planning commission of India for the finalization of the plan size for Goa for the year 2011-12.

Official sources told TOI that SIDGCL representatives handed a presentation to the planning commission explaining Goa's woeful sewerage system, detailing their own projects to overcome the problem and requesting for central funds for the projects. The corporation had pleaded for a total sum of Rs 1,785 crore, of which, the corporation asked for budgetary provision of Rs 300 crore for the current year and the balance amount in a phased manner of four years. The planning commission has however sanctioned Rs 80 crore to the corporation.

Sources said that SIDGCL explained that Goa is an international tourist destination and therefore the state requires to take utmost care to maintain hygienic conditions to avoid water-borne epidemics. They also stressed that Goa lacks a sewerage system compared to the national level. The SIDGCL requested the planning commission to support Goa "to implement the sewerage system in all municipalities (14 in number), South Goa coastal belt plus the Old Goa world heritage site.

The corporation has initiated five sewerage projects in Goa, all totalling Rs 1,785-crore. The first is a sewerage scheme for Porvorim and surrounding areas in Bardez taluka at an estimated cost of Rs 210 crore. The second is a sewerage scheme for Navelim and surrounding areas in Salcette taluka at an estimated cost of Rs 192 crore. The third is a sewerage scheme for Cortalim and surrounding areas in Mormugao taluka at a cost of Rs 500 crore.

All the above three proposals have been submitted to the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in order to avail a 70% grant under the national river conservation directorate (NRCD). For example, for the Rs 210 crore Porvorim project, the corporation is expecting Rs 140 crore from the MoEF and the balance Rs 50 crore from the state government.

The fourth is a sewerage scheme for Ponda municipal area including Curti, Bandora, Kawlem and other urban agglomerates in Ponda taluka at an estimated cost of Rs 240 crore. Sources said the corporation has prepared a draft project report on this scheme and may submit the final report to the union ministry of urban development as Ponda is a municipal area. The corporation can get up to 80% grant from the ministry of urban development for this project, sources said.

The last initiative is a sewerage scheme for the South Goa belt stretching from Utorda to Mobor covering eight village panchayats. The estimated cost of this scheme is Rs 643 crore.

Sources said that the planning commission granted Rs 15 crore during 2010-11 to initiate the sewerage system at Colva which is part of the 20 km long South Goa coastal belt. Sources said the belt has 27 starred resorts but since Colva is considered the queen beach of South Goa, the corporation will give it first preference.

The corporation is presently conducting a survey in South Goa to ascertain the levels at different areas. Sources said that unlike in water supply system, where water may be pumped by pressure, the sewerage system works totally on gravitational pull and therefore, the levels of different areas have to be mapped with precision.

Justifying its request for funds, the corporation has explained that Goa produces 456 MLD of water, out of which 80% used water flows out as waste, causing environmental problems by contaminating rivers, the groundwater table and affecting aquatic life, flora and soil conditions.