Margao: Villagers of Costi in Kalay, Sanguem, held the visarjan of Ganesh idols in water-filled barrels this year to protest the contamination of the local nullah by a piggery operating in the village.The people’s agitation against the unit has shown no let-up. Locals allege that waste from the piggery finds its way into the nullah and, from there, into the river. To register their protest, they immersed idols of Lord Ganesh in barrels instead of the water body traditionally used for the ritual.The barrel immersion follows the villagers’ unanimous resolution to boycott visarjan in the nullah, which they say is contaminated with piggery excreta and toxic slurry. They have alleged that the farm continues to openly release wastewater into the nullah despite repeated complaints to the authorities.“The villagers felt that performing visarjan rituals in a nullah laden with pig excreta would amount to desecrating Lord Ganesh,” said Amar Naik, a lawyer and local resident. “They had hoped someone would provide a water tank for the immersion. When that did not happen, they settled for the next best option: barrels.”Villagers have also alleged that Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) is yet to submit its site inspection report, and that their protests have failed to elicit any action against the errant unit. A joint inspection of the piggery had been carried out weeks earlier by officials of GSPCB, directorate of health services, veterinary department, and Kalay panchayat, along with local MLA Ganesh Gaonkar. The inspection followed mounting protests by villagers, who warned they would intensify their agitation unless a permanent solution was found before the festival.
