Water is full of bacteriological contamination
Samples collected from areas where off-shore casinos are anchored show high coliform bacteria
Pollution Board gives clean chit to off-shore casinos, says not involved in polluting river
SHWETA KAMAT
PANJIM: After National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), the Goa State Pollution Control Board’s (GSPCB) fresh study says the waters of River Mandovi are “unsafe for recreational bathing, water sports and fishing”. The waters of River Mandovi that houses five off-shore casinos contain alarmingly high levels of coliform bacteria caused by the release of untreated sewage.
However, the pollution Board has given a clean chit to the off-shore casinos stating “casino vessels are complying with conditions with regards to disposal of sewage”.
The GSPCB, through its fresh inspection of River Mandovi mid-stream where the casinos are anchored has observed that quality of water does not meet the classification of the rivers for SWII (bathing, water sports and commercial fishing).
The inspection — report of which was out in May — was carried out from January 27 to 31, wherein water samples from six locations were tested. The inspection was carried out following directions from National Green Tribunal in the casino matter. The parameters that were monitored are colour or odour, floating matters, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, faecal coliform and biological oxygen demand. “The water is full of bacteriological contamination,” the study reveals.
“However, casino vessels are complying with all conditions of the Pollution Board with regards to disposal of sewage through night soil tankers for treatment at the sewage treatment plant of the PWD, Tonca,” the report stated adding there is need to monitor and identify the source of pollution.
Interestingly, coliform content in the water sample collected opposite Panjim jetty, where almost all the casinos are anchored, was as high as 330/ml. The coliform content ranged between 78/ml to 330/ml.
As per GSPCB norms, coliform counts in excess of 5 CFU/ml in natural water is unsafe for bathing. CFU/ml is a unit used to measure the bacteria present in water which indicates the total Colony Forming Units of bacteria present per ml of water. In essence, total coliform counts exceeding 5 per ml have serious implications for bathers and fishermen in the area.
NIO through a massive study carried out from 2002 to 2007 discovered that the water in Goa’s two main rivers Mandovi, Zuari and along the coast have levels of bacteria far higher than permissible for recreational bathing and even fishing.
