TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Will the concerned government authorities crack a whip with the expert committee confirming the contamination of the Colva creek, besides a couple of drinking water wells, due to sewage disposal?
Or will the authorities continue to turn a blind eye to water contamination despite the expert report reconfirming an earlier report that sewage and waste water disposal by the hotels and establishment has left the Colva creek contaminated.
These questions have come to the fore since it’s now over two years since the Colva Civic and Consumer Forum have been waging a battle to save the creek and the adjoining water bodies in the village from pollution.
Says Colva Civic and Consumer Forum Secretary, Judith Almeida: “Will the authorities act against erring establishments after the expert committee gave a damning report on water contamination at the Colva creek”. She demanded to know why the authorities have shied away from initiating action when the expert committee report had reconfirmed pollution.
“The report has pointed out that the beach shacks had tapped bore wells for their water requirement. Besides, the report has revealed that the shacks had dug up pits for waste disposal,” Judith said, while asserting that digging of bore wells within 500 meters from the beach is prohibited under the MoEF rules to prevent saline water from flooding the underground water.
When contacted, Goa State Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Levinson Martins said the Board is seized of the Colva creek contamination problem and appropriate action will be initiated against the erring units.
