PANJIM: The locals and tourists are irked over the emergence of fresh tar balls along the Goan coastline and have questioned the government’s inaction towards this disaster.
They said that this menace needs urgent attention at the highest level. We cannot keep saying that the tar balls always surface before monsoon. What will we do if the whole shore is covered with tar balls in peak tourist season?
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Meanwhile, officials from the Tourism Department said that they are clearing the tar balls that are surfaced along the coastline and the matter is also reached to the ministry level too.
Morning walkers on the soft white sands across Goan beaches, untarnished by the pitfalls of irresponsible tourism, screamed out “Black Sea, Black Sea”.
The waters were jet black and were rapidly brought to the shore by the tides depositing the polluted water onto the sands.
Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) Chairman Mahesh Patil said, “NIO was given a project to conduct a study. As per the NIO study, these tar balls are likely generated at Bombay High. Undercurrents during monsoon wash them to the shores.”
Former NIO scientist Baban Ingole said, “Tar ball formation could be from multiple sources, though the major one contributing to it could be offshore washing of tankers, offshore oil installation, etc.”
When questioned, Tourism Director Menino D’Souza said, “We are clearing most of the tar balls found in Goa. We are doing our best. It’s very easy for the people to comment and say that we aren’t doing anything. Presently, about this situation we have also spoken to the higher up, especially the ministry and a solution will be out soon.”
Meanwhile, Environmentalist Joe D’Souza said that tar balls are washed ashore every year in June through entire west cost of India. The main question is where do these tar balls come from, because there is no tar on the ocean floor, they started occurring in the 70’s when the Gulf countries were exporting oil. When returning back the empty ships will be filled with ballast water which was thrown out upon reaching their destination to fill up with new oil. The Indian Coast Guard is relaxed, this isn’t done anywhere else.
