MARGAO: Tar balls along with garbage have again witnessed along the seashore of Salcete belt. Several social activists and village level biodiversity committees have urged for an urgent attention with regard to implementation of CRZ rules.
Tar balls or the oil substance have been noticed on several seashores of Salcete taluka, besides other parts of Goa’s coastal belt in the last three days, creating major hardships before the visitors.
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Several NGOs, along with locals and village panchayats have initiated to clean the beaches like Cavelossim, Benaulim, Mobor, Majorda, and Colva that have witnessed this menace of tar balls.
Speaking to the media Dixon Vaz, Chairman of Cavelossim Biodiversity Committee said that pristine beach in Cavelossim is fully covered with tar balls and is posing danger not only for the environment, but also to tourism.
“For the past few years we have taken the matter up with higher authorities such as the environment ministry, Goa State Biodiversity Board, and Coast Guard, but still the issue remains,” said Vaz.
He said that after inspecting the beaches he also spoke to the Member Secretary of Goa State Biodiversity Board to take up the matter seriously, so that there is no adverse effect on the environment, as well as tourism.
Roy Barretto, social activist, said that tar balls are not only noticed on Goan beaches but on the entire west coast of India.
“As per the environment protection act 1986, the coastal line is supposed to be the highly eco-sensitive areas where Coastal Zone Management Authorities in every coastal state should and must regulate, besides implement stringent rules under CRZ notification 1991, 2011, and 2019,” said Barretto.
“The tar balls menace can be avoided by regularly checking log books of shipping tankers, who import crude oil to India from gulf countries. They are responsible for tar balls as they do washing their oil tanks before they could take another consignment from India for export,” Barretto charged.
