The State gov ernment will create dedicat ed sub-divisions within each division of the Water Re sources Department (WRD) to monitor and maintain water quality in rivers and nullahs across the State. Replying to a joint starred question tabled by Aldona MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira regarding pollution in rivers and water bodies, Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar said, “We have decided that every WRD division will have a sub-division dedicated ex clusively to monitoring the quality of water in nullahs and rivers.
Even if we ad dress 50-70 per cent of the issue, it will be helpful.” To strengthen monitor ing, the government also plans to establish two dedicated technical labo ratories under the WRD for water testing—one each in North and South Goa dis tricts. “Our technical laboratory is currently located in the WRD head office. It will now also be in both North and South Goa for testing water quality,” Shirodkar added. The minister stated that the government is also examining a proposal to levy fines on departments such as the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Drinking Water De partment for discharging untreated wastewater into rivers and other water bod ies.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
The model is currently adopted in Maharashtra. Adv Ferreira, during the discussion, pointed out that 11 major rivers includ ing Mandovi, Zuari and Sal and 75 water bodies in the State have been classified as polluted by the Central Pollution Control Board due to untreated sewage, industrial effluent, and mining waste. Key hotspots include the Sal River turn ing black from pollution, while the Bicholim and Chapora rivers face high faecal chloroform levels rendering them unsafe for human consumption, he said.
