Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) will conduct a water audit of all the off shore casino vessels operational in River Mandovi.
GSPCB during its recent board meeting, resolved to appoint the firm TUV-SUD India, to conduct the water audit as per the directions of the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The Chief Secretary has been directed to remain present along with the audit report on October 22.
Sources said that the agency will have to monitor all the raw water that is pumped into casino vessels and the waste water that is discharged into the tanks. “NGT has already constituted a committee to monitor the level of alleged pollution caused by off shore casinos in River Mandovi. The committee conducts its regular inspection,” sources said.
During the meeting, GSPCB member secretary Shamila Monteiro informed the members that the water audit of casinos is required to be carried out as per NGT’s directions.
She further informed that quotations in this regard had been invited from the agencies/institutions like Goa College of Engineering (GEC), TUV – SUD India, National Institute of Technology (NIT) Goa, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Goa and BITS Pilani Goa Campus, for which, only one quotation from IIT Goa was received. Thereafter, the last date for submission of quotation was extended and another quotation from TUV-SUD was received.
TUV-SUD quoted Rs 12.39 lakhs while IIT Goa quoted Rs 33 lakhs. Owing to the urgency of the matter, the Board resolved to hand over the work to the lowest bidder.
Congress had cornered Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral during the recent monsoon session of the State Legislative Assembly, over the failure to monitor water quality of River Mandovi, alleging contamination due to discharge of waste by casinos.
