A huge amount of sewage and garbage is being unloaded into the sea from the Colva creek ever since the monsoon season started. Restaurants and hotels along the sides of the creek add to the filth as they find it an easy dumping ground for their sewage. Local NGOs allege that the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) do not bother to curb the mess in the area.
Heavy rains on Sunday disposed of tonnes of sewage into the sea which kept tourists from visiting the beach as the foul smell of the area spread rapidly. The GSPCB, local MLA, tourism minister and all concerned authorities have failed to the control the outflow and preserve the sanctity of the beach and the sea.
Till about 25 years ago, the Colva creek was a natural storm water channel. But since the tourism boom in Colva, many shops were converted to large restaurants by the side of the creek. With restaurants came a lot of sewage and garbage which automatically got deposited in the creek. Since it’s construction, it has seen only sewage being dumped into it, rather than for its natural purpose of providing an outflow for storm water.
After looking at the complete inaction by authorities to curb the menace, the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum moved court in 2009. The matter, however, is still pending in the High Court. “All the authorities are impotent to act against the menace. The Pollution Control Board had an inspection a month ago but is not ready to give us the report of their findings,” said Judith Almeida, Convenor of CCCF.
The GSPCB sealed 13 hotels for discharging sewage in the creek but the hotels got immediate relief within one hour of the sealing. “The water table in Colva area is too high for underground sewage reservoirs, hence the only solution to the problem is to have a common sewage treatment plant for Colva, Benaulim and adjoining areas,” said Jose Manuel Noronha, Chairman of GSPCB.
“We warn people from entering the sea water when water from the creek is flowing into the sea but neither the local MLA nor the panchayat has bothered to take up the matter so as to get it resolved,” said Alexandre from the CCCF.
The Forum now waits for the end of the month as the case is due for final order at the high court. But ironically the sea is being polluted and the sand is being eroded from the beach every single day as time passes.
