Goa Housing Complex Residents Seek Human Rights Intervention Over Water Contamination
Residents of the Prabhu Violetta housing complex in Dabolim, Goa, have filed a formal complaint with the Goa Human Rights Commission, demanding urgent action to address severe contamination of their drinking water supply. The issue has impacted approximately 200 residents, including vulnerable groups such as newborn babies, pregnant women, and senior citizens living in the complex.
Health Crisis and Medical Confirmation
The residents reported suffering from chronic diarrhoea, with several cases clinically diagnosed and confirmed as typhoid. This public health emergency has raised serious concerns about the safety and quality of the water provided to the housing project.
Allegations of Service Deficiency and Human Rights Violations
In their complaint, the residents highlighted that the builder supplies water for only a few hours during the day and refuses to provide it at night. They described this as a grave deficiency of service and a direct denial of their basic human rights. The complaint emphasizes that the right to safe drinking water is a fundamental aspect of the right to life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.
State's Failure in Monitoring and Infrastructure
The complaint alleges that the state government failed to ensure proper monitoring of the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) and water supply infrastructure before and after the project's commissioning. Despite the constitutional mandate, authorities did not prevent the contamination, leading to what residents term a "public health disaster."
Demands for Inquiry and Accountability
Signed by 240 residents, the complaint calls for the establishment of a commission of inquiry headed by a retired judge. This commission would investigate the roles and responsibilities of various entities, including:
- The builder or promoter of the housing project
- The Goa State Pollution Control Board
- The water resources department
- The local panchayat
- Other relevant agencies
The inquiry aims to identify lapses in monitoring, approvals, and enforcement of environmental and public health norms. It also seeks disciplinary, administrative, and criminal action against errant officials whose negligence contributed to the crisis.
Immediate and Long-Term Solutions Sought
Residents have put forward several demands to address the situation:
- Immediate Water Supply: Directions to the state to ensure 24x7 safe drinking water through managed tankers or pipe-borne supply until the infrastructure is fully restored.
- Infrastructure Remediation: Authorities must decontaminate, repair, re-test, and recommission the STP and water supply system to meet all statutory and technical standards before further use.
- Compensation: Reimbursement and compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, and other hardship costs incurred due to the prolonged water contamination crisis.
- Ongoing Monitoring: Implementation of periodic and independent water quality testing, with results made transparently available to residents.
This case underscores critical issues in urban housing projects and the enforcement of public health safeguards in Goa, calling for swift intervention to protect residents' well-being and constitutional rights.
