Two studies were conducted – June 2014 and Jan 2015 on the State on the
quality of water in the River Mandovi. After the first National Institute of
Oceanography (NIO) study, the Goa State pollution Control Board’s
(GSPCB) study clearly pointed out that the waters off 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 into it.
However, the Pollution
Board then gave a clean chit
to the offshore casinos saying
that “casino vessels are
complying with conditions
with regards to disposal of
sewage”.
However, the GSPCB has stressed the need to monitor the disposal of bilge
ad oily waters of casino ships operating in the river, as it was done for sewage,
through its fresh inspection along the mid-stream of the river, where the casinos
are anchored has observed that the water quality does not meet the classifications
of the rivers for SWII (bathing, water sports and commercial fishing).
The water inspection, was carried out from January 27 to 31, 2015 wherein
the water samples from six locations was tested on directions from the National
Green Tribunal (NGT) in the casino matter. The parameters that were monitored
are colour or odour, floating matters, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, faecal coliform
and biological oxygen demand. “It was revealed that the water is full of
bacteriological contamination,” the study reveals.
“However, the casino vessels are complying with the conditions of the
consent of the Pollution Control 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 the need to monitor and identify the
source of pollution. Interestingly, the 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, 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 fishers of the region.
NIO, through a massive study carried out over a period of six years -2002-
2007, discovered waters in Goa’s two main rivers Mandovi and Zuari and along
the coast have levels of bacteria far higher than that permissible for recreational
bathing and even fishing. However, the then chief minister Manohar Parrikar
came out openly rubbishing the report and saying that the water was clean.
In fact, GSPCB later said that the vessels are not indulging in causing water
pollution in the river. In a submission before National Green Tribunal (NGT), the
Board has clarified that the pollution in the river is ‘attributed to the sewage
effluent released by the ships in the outer anchorages of the river’.
Following directions issued by the NGT, GSPCB officials had conducted inspections
on all the offshore vessels as the green tribunal had directed the State
government not to grant new permissions to offshore casinos in the river
Mandovi on environmental grounds.
The board in an affidavit filed before NGT said that the claims of the
petitioner Sudip Tamankar that sewage and solid waste was being indiscriminately
discharged in the river Mandovi (by casinos) was false. The Board pointed out
that the claims of the petitioner are based on the study report prepared by NIO.
In the study, the report concludes that there is a high count of pollution
indicator bacteria and pathogens in the river.
“NIO has concluded in its report that high bacteria and pathogens in the
river is due to the surface run off from land during monsoon. It has also
concluded that indicator bacterial counts could be attributed to sewage effluent
released by the ships in the outer anchorages and not ships plying in the river
Mandovi,” the affidavit said, refuting allegations of the petitioner that the vessels
are operating without approval under Air and Water Acts.
However, in a series of directions issued to the vessel operators, the Board
has made it mandatory to the vessels to install special machinery/facility for
converting biodegradable/organic waste convertor on the shore. It has also
assured to conduct periodic inspections of the vessels to verify whether the
operators are following the contents or guidelines stipulated in the Consent to
Operate under Air and Water Acts. It also directed vessel operators to submit
monthly statement of the solid waste generated by the vessel, indicating the
quantity of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste generated by the
vessel and the way it is disposed off.
