NT Reporter
Vasco
Residents of the Prabhu Violetta residential complex in Dabolim have approached the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) alleging violation of their fundamental right to safe drinking water after sewage contamination reportedly affected the society’s bore-wells.
In a petition submitted this week, residents said that leakage from the complex’s sewage treatment plant (STP) seeped into bore-wells supplying drinking water, triggering a public health emergency.
According to the complaint, more than 180 residents, including children, pregnant women and senior citizens, have suffered from chronic diarrhoea, with several cases medically confirmed as typhoid.
The petition said that the Water Resources Department sealed the contaminated borewells, while the Goa State Pollution Control Board ordered closure of the STP and directed the builder to provide potable water through tankers. However, residents said that tanker supply has been irregular and limited to a few hours a day, leaving families without access to water
at night.
Residents have accused the builder and government departments of negligence and failure to monitor the functioning of the sewage treatment plant and water supply infrastructure, stating that such lapses led to contamination despite repeated warnings and complaints. The petition invokes Article 21 of the Constitution of India, under which access to safe drinking water is recognised as part of the right to life, and urges urgent intervention to ensure uninterrupted access to safe water.
Among the reliefs sought are immediate decontamination and repair of the STP, independent testing of water quality, and compensation for medical expenses and losses suffered. The petitioners have also sought an independent inquiry headed by a retired High Court or Supreme Court judge to determine accountability and prevent recurrence.
Residents have submitted medical reports, photographs, and copies of official orders sealing the STP and borewells. The matter is expected to be taken up by the Commission in the coming weeks.
