AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
GAUREWADA, MORJIM: A day after O Heraldo published a re port titled ‘Sewage trench dug at Morjim turtle nesting beach’ on January 9, 2025, workers were seen cleaning the beach on Friday morning. By after noon, a team of officials from the Health Department, accom panied by Morjim Sarpanch Vilas Morje and local residents, visited the site — leaving tour ists and environmentalists hopeful that a beach polluted by sewage and noise would not keep turtles at bay. So far this season, seven turtles have walked ashore in North Goa — two at Candolim Beach and five at Morjim Beach — while none have been re corded at Mandrem Beach, worrying forest officials and environmentalists. The first turtle of the 2024–2025 sea son walked ashore at Mandrem Beach on January 7. “I do not rule out that sewage is being released into the sea. I was called to the site this morn ing by officials of the Depart ment of Health after a report in your newspaper, and I have in formed them that I will collect samples on Monday and send them for testing. If the results are positive, I will seal the es tablishments,” warned Morjim Sarpanch Vilas Morje. “Prima facie, the O Heraldo report has opened the eyes of many doing business around here. I know some establish ments were releasing sewage during the monsoons, but it is difficult to establish which es tablishments are releasing it now. If they continue doing so, it will not be tolerated,” Morje assured.
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While Morje was categorical that the panchayat would not tolerate the release of sewage into the sea, he was equally adamant that the digging of the trench on the beach was the responsibility of the Department of Tourism. “The panchayat has nothing to do with what happens on the beach because the Department of Tourism has been claiming for long that the beach is their property and that they are its owners. So how can the panchayat give permis sion to dig a trench?” wondered Morje. “The Tourism Department has its officials patrolling the beach. It is their responsibility to report any digging on the beach. It is not the responsibility of the panchayat,” stated Morje. Despite numerous attempts to contact him over the phone, Director of Tourism Kedar Naik did not respond to calls till press time. Tourists at Morjim Beach were in for a surprise as work ers could be seen with brooms and other equipment clear ing garbage strewn along the beach after late-night parties. “It is the first time I have seen them come to clean the beach. I read the report in O Heraldo this morning and I am sure it might have pushed them to wake up and do their job,” said French actor Marianne Borgo, as she lazed on a sunbed. A sanitation inspector and a doctor from the Department of Health visited the beach in the afternoon. After ascer taining the presence of the trench and a pipe through which sewage was allegedly being discharged, they requested the sarpanch to write to the department seeking water testing. “As of now, the water does not appear to be contaminat ed with sewage. But a test will make it clear,” claimed Desai from the Department of Health. “There is a possibility that sewage may be released early in the morning or late at night,” admitted Sarpanch Morje. While the sarpanch and members of the Health Depart ment’s sanitation team were concerned about sewage dis charge, AtmaramGauns, Range Forest Officer of the North Goa Forest Department, voiced alarm over loud music and bright lights from beachfront restaurants. “We have been regularly complaining to all the officials about music being played after sunset and the bright lights, but all our complaints seem to be falling on deaf ears. The decrease in the number of turtles walking ashore to nest is worrying,” confessed Gauns.
