PANAJI
The High Court of Bombay at Goa today raised concern over alarming levels of fecal coliform in River Mandovi, especially where off shore casinos are anchored.
The Court has directed the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to conduct a fresh water quality study and submit by June 1.
The study will focus on collecting and analysing water samples around anchored casinos and marine tourism vessels operating in the river.
Recent reports by the GSPCB revealed that contamination levels near these areas have reached up to 200% above permissible limits and have consistently exceeded safety standards since 2022. The pollution is largely attributed to the discharge of untreated sewage, rendering the water unsafe for recreational use.
As per norms, the permissible limit for faecal coliform is 100 or less MPN per 100 ml of water. MPN (Most Probable Number) is a statistical method used to estimate the concentration of microorganisms such as E. coli in water samples
