PERNEM: A number of shacks, restaurants and guesthouses located between Kolamb and a sweet water lake in Arambol have been discharging wastewater into the sea.
Though the owners of the shacks, restaurants and guesthouses deny discharging wastewater into the sea, a walk along the beach between Kolamb and the sweet water lake reveals that many of the shacks, restaurants and guest houses have pipelines connected to the sea for releasing wastewater.
Many pipelines are either buried under the sand or covered in concrete with their mouth opening at the sea end.
Concerned local citizens say that discharging waste water into the sea is against the sanitation rules.
Sources claim that the shacks, restaurants and guest houses located between Kolamb and the sweet water lake do not have soak pits, due to which they release wastewater directly into the sea late at night.
During the tourist season, these businesses put up temporary toilets from where wastewater is released into the sea. However, under health guidelines, when temporary toilets are installed, provision will have to be made for collecting and disposing waste water. But these businesses do not follow the rules.
Last year, the issue was raised at the Armabol gram sabha which adopted a resolution that shacks, guesthouses and restaurants discharging waste water into the sea would not be allowed to do business the next season.
“It is the duty of the Health and Tourism departments to take strict action against those discharging wastewater into the sea,” Chandrakant Dabholkar, a local, said.
