Goa bio-diversity board and Goa Pollution Control Board experts inspected the controversial Sappu Lake in Ambaulim and Cuncolim’s Nayaband Lake on Wednesday. They have collected water samples from both lakes. Cuncolim social activist, Ronny Dias was present during this inspection as he tries to stop the destruction of both lakes.
It may be recalled that Velim MLA, Benjamin Silva had proposed to construct the Sappu lake at Ambelim through the WRD Project. The government sanctioned funds of INR 3.5 crore for this project as Silva proposed to beautify the water body. In the second phase, he proposed to set up a 10 MLD (Million Litres a day) water treatment plant on this lake. According to him, some areas in Velim, especially Baraddi Village do not get drinking water. According to the MLA, this water treatment plant can solve the drinking water crises at the village. After receiving the necessary government permissions for this project, Dias filed a complaint saying that the WRD is destroying the natural water body. He objected strongly to the concretization of the lake and based on his complaint, the biodiversity board gave a temporary stay. The project has been on hold for the past six months.
Dias filed several complaints to the biodiversity board, Goa pollution control board and even to Environment Minister, Alina Saldanha. Recently, Saldanha called a meeting of stake holders and has told concerned authorities to follow the required norms. The biodiversity board however, suddenly revoked the stay and allowed the WRD to begin work.
Dias feels that the governing authorities in Goa have succumbed to pressure and allowed the WRD to restart work and claims that he will challenge the order at the National Green Tribunal in Pune.
According to Dias, the government is not sympathetic toward natural resources. He claimed that due to the use of concrete, there is the danger of the ‘ALBEDO’ effect. The Albedo effect means that due to solar radiation, the cold water starts heating up at night. This causes harm to the micro-organisms. The social activist was present at the inspection on Wednesday and blamed government authorities for their negligence on the matter. He questioned the biodiversity board’s decision to revoke the stay order without testing water samples. He claimed that the water from the lake is not fit for drinking and also questioned the drinking water project on a contaminated lake.
He went on to add that the Velim MLA wanted to construct a tourism project under the guise of a drinking water project on Sappu lake. For ground water projects to happen, Dias said that it is mandatory on the government’s part to conduct prior studies like Limnology and Bathymetry. But the authorities went on to give permissions to WRD to construct a concrete based lake which is against environmental norms. Therefore, Dias will move the matter to the NGT and is confident that he will be able to stop the illegalities.
Meanwhile, Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik has proposed to start a tourism project at Nayaband lake. Naik intended to beautify the lake and make it a tourist destination much like Mayem lake in North Goa. Dias objected to this as well and claimed the current BJP government is indifferent towards nature. “They are ruining our natural beauty for the sake of tourists and I will not allow this to happen in my village,” said Dias. He informed Herald that he would file a petition at the NGT against the Nayaband Lake project as well.
