Not having sewerage connection may become offence in Goa

To check pollution of water bodies, the Goa government is mulling to enact a law to make not having sewerage connection to the house an offence.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar made this announcement in the Legislative Assembly today.

He was responding to a private member's resolution moved by Congress MLAs Pratapsinh Rane and Luizinho Faleiro demanding an ordinance to stop construction activity along the river banks.

Constructions along the banks are the main source of pollution of rivers, they said.

Parrikar said the government will consider bringing a law, under which not having one's house connected with sewerage line would be a cognisable offence.

Release of untreated waste in rivers and other water bodies is the main reason for pollution, he said.

To a question about pollution of the river Sal, he said the construction of sewerage treatment plants at Navelim, Davorlin, Dicarpale, Talaulim, Aquem and Rawanfond is in progress, and once these plants start operating, it will stop release of untreated waste in the river.

The Centre had given Rs 3 crore as the first instalment of Rs 61.74 crore for this project under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP), he said.

However, the funds were not used as the project is now being financed with the state's own money due to a delay in sanctioning of the NCRP, Parrikar added.