Goa Rights Commission probes Dabolim water contamination crisis. goa news
Panaji: The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) on Monday issued notices to the Chief Executive Engineer of the Drinking Water Department, Assistant Engineer of the Water Resources Department and builder Prabhu Realtors, Dabolim, over a complaint by residents of Prabhu’s Violetta Complex about contamination of drinking water.The commission has asked both the authorities and the builder to file their replies by April 10 and remain present in person or through their representative for the hearing on the same day.Residents of Prabhu Violetta Residential Complex, Dabolim have filed a complaint with the Goa Human Rights Commission seeking immediate intervention into the issue of contamination of drinking water supply affecting around 200 residents including newborn children, pregnant women and elderly people in the complex.He said they suffered from chronic diarrhoea, several cases were medically diagnosed and confirmed to be typhoid.He said the builder is currently supplying water only for a few hours during the day and is denying supply at night, which is a serious lack of service and a direct denial of the basic human rights of the residents.Residents are seeking instructions from the authorities to immediately disinfect, repair, retest and restart the sewage treatment plant and water supply system so that it conforms to all statutory and technical standards before any further use.They are also demanding periodic and independent water quality testing of the water supply at the complex, the results of which be made public and shared with residents.They are also demanding the formation of an inquiry commission headed by a retired judge to probe the role and responsibility of the builder/promoter, Goa State Pollution Control Board, Water Resources Department, PHED, local panchayat and other agencies.
