Sewage overflows at Comba subway again, residents raise health hazard

Margao: Sewage is once again flowing openly across the Comba subway area in Margao, creating hazardous conditions for residents and commuters. The situation has renewed fears of a disease outbreak if authorities fail to act swiftly.Locals have now demanded immediate intervention by the authorities, pointing to the risk posed to students of nearby educational institutions who are forced to wade through the filth daily.“The ongoing sewage leakage at the Comba subway has become a major health risk,” said Margao resident Sanjay Dessai. “This isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a serious threat to the thousands of students attending nearby educational institutions who have to navigate this filth every day. Our students deserve a clean and safe environment!”Dessai urged the Margao Municipal Council and the sewerage department to take immediate action before the situation leads to an outbreak of disease.The recurrence of sewage overflow is particularly galling for residents, as the Comba subway was among the worst-affected spots during a sewage crisis that gripped the city in Jan last year, when sewage backflow entered homes and contaminated drinking water wells in low-lying localities, including Calconda, Chinchal and Comba.That crisis had prompted a high-level meeting chaired by Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, attended by South Goa collector Egna Cleetus and senior officials, where both immediate and long-term remedies were promised.

Emergency measures announced at the time included deploying night soil tankers to manage overflow after all four pumps at the Sirvodem sewerage project failed simultaneously.Critics had then pointed out that scientific and technical methodology was not followed while laying the sewerage pipeline, resulting in choking, damaged pumps and overflowing chambers.With sewage again inundating the Comba subway, residents here said those warnings have gone unheeded and have demanded immediate action to the matter.