PANAJI: Two days after large quantities of dead fish were found floating across Mala Lake, CCP mayor Rohit Monserrate visited the site today along with officials from the Fisheries Department, Goa State Pollution Control Board, and the Water Resources Department (WRD), as residents continued to complain of a strong, spreading stench in the area.
The lake, which drew shock on Saturday with its surface covered in lifeless fish, has since turned into a source of foul odour, with residents of Mala saying the smell has rapidly spread through the neighbourhood. Videos of the incident have also circulated widely on social media.
Monserrate said preliminary inputs from departments indicate that untreated sewage inflow and a sharp drop in dissolved oxygen levels in the water led to the fish kill.
“We called for a meeting of the concerned departments. What they are saying is that because of sewage flowing into the lake, that is why the fish have died. The pollution control board has taken samples, and we are waiting for the reports,” he said.
He linked the incident to a broader and worsening issue across Panaji’s water systems.
“This is part of a wider problem in Panaji. If you look at the St Inez Creek, there is a lot of sewage flowing into the water. Many colonies are releasing sewage, and debris is also being dumped. It is turning into a health disaster,” Monserrate said, warning that the situation could escalate in the next two to three years without intervention.
To address the issue, a high-level, multi-department meeting has been convened on April 15.
“All departments, including the GSPCB, PWD water supply, sewage department, fisheries, river navigation, municipality, directorate of municipal administration, and panchayats, will be part of it. This has to be a holistic approach because the problem cuts across multiple agencies,” he said.
The mayor said previous mitigation efforts, including an aeration project under the Smart City mission, failed because they focused on isolated stretches.
“It didn’t work because it looked at only one small part. We now need a comprehensive plan for the entire waterway, starting from Nagalli to the outflow near old GMC,” he said.
He said authorities are now looking at a long-term, five-year plan to restore and stabilise the creek system.
“We are aiming to bring down COD and BOD levels and improve overall water quality. Mala Lake and Lake View Colony Lake will both be taken up under this plan. The only way forward is a permanent solution with proper planning and expert consultation,” Monserrate said.
Highlighting gaps in infrastructure, he pointed out that several areas still lack sewage connectivity.
“Places like Camrabhat do not have a sewage system as of now. Some households and colonies are not connected to the network. We will identify each and every such source and work on solutions. Some colonies also lack funds to maintain their systems. This will take time,” he said.
On debris dumping flagged by residents, he said clean-up will be taken up through a notified site and tenders for removal, but clarified it is not the direct cause of the fish deaths.
“As of now, departments are saying the reason is sewage inflow and lack of oxygen. Debris is a separate issue we are addressing,” he said.
He also noted that diverting untreated discharge into rivers is not a viable solution.
“WRD cannot keep releasing this into the river. That will only shift the problem to another water body,” the Mayor said.
