Team Herald
PANJIM: The Ports Administration is awaiting a no objection certificate from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and Goa State Bio-Diversity Board to commence dredging operations at the mouth of River Chapora.
The Captain of Ports was entrusted the work across the sand bars at mouth of River Chapora following consistent requests from Xapora Boat Owners Fisheries Co-op Society Ltd and the subsequent approval from the government. The boat owners had complained that the shallow depth was a major hurdle to venture out to the sea for fishing even during the high tide.
The experts’ recent surveys on April 1, 2015 had revealed the depth had further deteriorated with the minimum depth at just 1 metre. “There exists an urgent requirement to execute the maintenance dredging work across the sand bars for safe navigation,” Captain James Braganza told Herald.
Following approval, the department moved the concerned authorities for issuance of NOCs to carry out the work last year. In the latest development, the Captain submitted a detailed presentation to GCZMA and related authorities explaining the situation. “Once NOC is granted, we will proceed with the tendering process,” he said.
The department has planned to undertake dredging work in an area of around 500 mtrs in length and 35 mtrs wide and another 200 mtrs in length and 35 mtrs in width. Braganza said an estimated quantity of about 73,500 cubic mtrs needs to be dredged out from the area so as to achieve an overall uniform depth of 4 mtrs for safe navigation.
The capital dredging across the sand bars at the mouth of River Chapora was initially carried out by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation, while maintenance dredging was undertaken in 2012. Since then there has been no dredging carried out.
