Team Herald
CALANGUTE: Fishermen at Sauntavaddo, Calangute, who dock their boats at Baga jetty, have raised serious concerns over illegal sewage discharge from more than 15 food stalls at the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) food court, claiming it poses health hazards and pollution risks to the nearby Baga river.
According to the fishermen, unauthorised sewage tanks from the food court are overflowing and waste is being dumped near their boats, affecting their daily operations and have appealed to the local MLA, the Calangute panchayat, and the tourism department to take immediate action.
The matter was also discussed at the Calangute panchayat gram sabha on Sunday. Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira highlighted another pressing issue, stating that wastewater from tourism department-managed pay-toilets at Calangute and Baga beaches is flowing onto the roads, worsening the sanitation crisis.
Sequeira pointed out that since the pay-toilets and pay-parking facilities are managed by contractors appointed by the tourism department, the village panchayat cannot intervene in the issue.
“The tourism department is not bothered about Calangute,” he remarked, criticising the lack of response from the authorities.
Fishermen and local residents are now urging the government to take swift action to curb the pollution and prevent further environmental damage to the Baga river and its surroundings.