PANAJI
Panaji’s lifeline has been choking for decades. The 3.7-kilometre-long St Inez Creek, once a vital waterway feeding into and from the Mandovi, lies in a state of neglect.
Unchecked encroachments and the consequent raw sewage, and garbage dumped there have reduced it to a foul drain and the promises for its revival have all gone in vain.
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) had in the past issued notices to residents discharging sewage directly into the creek. Dozens of households were warned in 2024 to connect to the PWD sewerage line or face disconnection of water and electricity.
However, either there was no follow-up by the CCP authorities or political interests came into play: after all, the encroachers and the culpable, too are voters who count.
The creek, meanwhile, continues to carry untreated waste, posing a public health hazard. Flooding during monsoons worsens the crisis. The clogged creek fails to drain stormwater.
Another crucial drawback for the creek’s health is the gradual weakening of the tidal flushing due to its connection to the Mandovi River.
The box-conduit constructed to widen the DB Marg near the ESG office (Old GMC) has raised the bed of the creek impeding the tidal force of the river’s waters. Experts from NIO have flagged this issue on multiple occasions in the past.
‘Smart city’ intervention
Back in 2024, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) had claimed that over 70,000 cubic meters of debris and silt was removed from the creek using state-of-the-art machinery, including amphibious excavators, and expertise of the Water Resources Department (WRD).
Apart from desilting, the creek’s side banks were also strengthened with composite walls besides constructing storage structures for aeration and treatment to enhance water quality, IPSCDL.
The works, however, did not address the root problem of obstruction to the Mandovi River’s tidal flushing of the creek.
Political undercurrents
The timing now is crucial as the CCP elections are weeks away and the St Inez Creek is more than an environmental concern. It is a political symbol and several residents see it as proof of civic failure and a reflection of the larger governance deficit in Panaji.
Residents, particularly those residing in the areas along the creek, meanwhile, complain of foul odours and repeated flooding and told The Goan they will certainly demand accountability from candidates who will come around soliciting their votes.
Citizens speak
Patricia Pinto, who resides in Campal very close to the creek said: “If only the CCP would understand the importance of the Creek, perhaps they would take more interest in rejuvenating it.”
A former councillor whom the CCP had co-opted due to her expertise in civic matters after her term, Pinto said the mouth of the creek is almost blocked which does not allow tidal flow in and out as a result of which it is stagnating.
“The CCP should realise that this creek takes care of the flow from most of the city’s storm water drains. God forbid what could happen to our city if ever there is a cloud burst and a calamity of flooding in the future because the creek is almost non-functional,” Pinto warned.
Arnaldo do Carmo Lobo, a resident of Altinho and a geologist by profession, said that the creek’s revival is not just about ecology but about credibility. “The CCP’s ability to enforce rules, manage waste, and deliver on promises will be judged at the polls and the neglect of St Inez Creek could become a crucial point for voters to make their choice on the ballot,” Carmo Lobo said.
Carmo Lobo said, cutting off the sand bar and removing the walk bridge which block the back flushing of the creek by the Mandovi River’s tidal flow at its mouth is a practical solution to revive the creek.
Panaji’s forgotten lifeline – St Inez Creek – is now a political fault line. As the CCP elections approach, its present condition will weigh heavily on voter minds albeit with skepticism: will Panaji’s leaders finally act post-election?
