The Captain of Ports Department has proposed dredging along the 7 kms stretch of the river, which will have a uniform depth of 2.5 metres below the charted line after desilting work is completed. The CoP Department had initially planned dredging across the sand bars at the mouth of the river.
The decision to undertake dredging came after fishing trawlers from the area highlighted difficulties faced in navigating in the river due to siltation and also increasing contamination.
Captain of Ports James Braganza said that NIO has been entrusted with the work to carry out a six-month EIA study of river Sal, which is dogged by high level of contamination as a result of sewerage effluent discharge.
“The study will give us a clear picture about what areas can be taken up for desilting and how deep it has to be,” he said. The CoP Department has also applied for a no-objection certificate from the Coastal Regulation Zone and Goa State Pollution Control Board.
Braganza said that during the recent meeting, Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado was assured by the Union minister for Surface Transport and River Navigation Nitin Gadkari that central aid for dredging the river would be provided. “The estimated cost of the project is Rs 200 crore. We are also looking for financial aid from the Union Ministry for Shipping,” he said.
Cleaning up of river Sal was among the several assurances made by then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar soon after assuming power in 2012, under ‘Mission River Sal clean up’.
