PANAJI: Days after large quantities of dead fish were found floating in Mala Lake, CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate convened a high-level, multi-department meeting today to address the crisis and outline a long-term rejuvenation plan for the St Inez creek system.
Officials from multiple agencies, including the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), PWD (water supply and sewage), fisheries department, River Navigation Department, municipality, Directorate of Municipal Administration, and panchayats, were part of the discussions.
Monserrate said the meeting marked the first coordinated step towards tackling long-standing issues such as sewage inflow, garbage dumping, and poor water circulation in the lake and adjoining areas.
He attributed the recent fish deaths primarily to low oxygen levels caused by continuous sewage discharge into the water body, coupled with the lack of tidal flow in the creek.
“We need a comprehensive approach. There are multiple factors, including sewage inflow, garbage, and blocked tidal movement, all contributing to the problem. A short-term fix will not work,” Monserrate said.
The Mayor said that the CCP plans to appoint a consultant to carry out a detailed study and prepare a DPR (Detailed Project Report), which will identify all sources of sewage ingress and recommend time-bound solutions. The process of appointing the consultant is expected to take between one and six months.
Drawing from a similar restoration project in Chennai, Monserrate said the solution would involve coordinated action across departments, ecological interventions, and infrastructure upgrades. “What we are trying to do is not impossible, but it needs a structured and sustained effort,” he added.
The proposed plan will cover Mala Lake, St Inez, Lakeview Colony, Taleigao, and surrounding areas under a unified framework.
He stressed that the issue cannot be resolved in the short term, noting that past attempts, such as installing aerators, failed because the root cause, sewage inflow, was not addressed.
“This is not a six-month or one-year fix. We are looking at a three- to five-year plan,” he said.
Monserrate also acknowledged gaps in sewage connectivity in several areas, including Camrabhat and parts of the city, and said solutions would need to be tailored for each locality. He pointed out that some low-income communities lack the infrastructure or resources to connect to sewage systems, which must be addressed as part of the plan.
He added that accountability would extend to both authorities and the public. “It is the responsibility of everyone, government agencies, and citizens. Unless sewage discharge stops, no solution will work,” he said.
Dead fish from the lake have been cleared and samples sent for testing, with results expected in the next few days.
Monserrate admitted that previous interventions had failed. “If something didn’t work, it was a mistake. We are not here to defend the past. We are focused on getting it right going forward,” he said.
