River pollution: Goa among 10 states yet to send info to NGT

Panaji: Goa is one of ten states which has not yet submitted to the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) its report on ‘critical pollution’ of some of its rivers. The NGT has granted Goa four more weeks to respond.The tribunal had sought a report from states on compliance with its directions of 2020 in which it asked states to implement facilities for treating 100% of the sewage generated in their regions.The tribunal had taken suo moto cognisance of a report of the Central Pollution Control Board which found that 351 stretches on 323 rivers in the country were critically polluted, and the report asked for their rejuvenation to be prioritised.In Goa, 11 rivers were found to be polluted including stretches of the Sal (Khareband to Mobor), Mandovi (Marcel to Volvoi), Talpona (along Canacona), Assonora (Assonora to Sirsaim), Bicholim (Bicholim to Curchirem), Chapora (Pernem to Morjim), Khandepar (Ponda to Opa), Sinquerim (along Candolim), Tiracol (along Tiracol), Valvant (Sanquelim to Bicholim, Poriem), and Zuari (Curchorem to Madkai).“The material pointed out by the applicants (states) indicates that the order of the tribunal has not been implemented by all the states in true letter and spirit till now,” the NGT said in Oct 2023.

“Hence, we issue a notice to chief secretaries of all the states and the secretary of the ministry of jal shakti with the direction to submit the report in respect of compliance of the order of the tribunal.”However, Goa is among the states which have not submitted its report for seven months now. The tribunal will next hear the matter on Sep 22.Based on NGT orders, a state river rejuvenation committee (RRC-Goa) was formed, which monitors the initiative to improve rivers’ water quality.

Last year, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) data indicated that water quality in eight of the rivers was now satisfactory.However, it acknowledged that sewage contamination is the major cause of the poor quality of water in the rivers of Mapusa, Sal, Zuari, Tiracol, and Sinquerim.The Water Quality Index for the rivers of Chapora, Kalna, Assonora, Valvanti, Mhadei, Khandepar, Khushawati, and Talpona were found to be satisfactory.