MARGAO
Raia villagers woke up on Monday to hear the news of dead fish in a water body due to the discharge of chemicals by unknown persons.
Locals demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, fearing that dumping of chemicals in the water bodies could spell doom for pisciculture in the khazan areas of the village.
The Maina-Curtorim police rushed to the spot after receiving a complaint and later got the forensic laboratory to collect the water samples for testing.
The Loutolim Primary Health Officer, Dr Vinesh Gaonkar, is also believed to have intimated the incident to the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for an investigation into the incident.
Locals also kept the officials of the local Animal Husbandry informed about the discharge of chemicals in the water body and the fish mortality to ensure that local cattle do not go there.
Raia Sarpanch Esmeralda Gomes informed that the incident has occurred in Dongorim, which is part of Ward No 6 represented by her.
She has suspected the episode to be the handiwork of a tanker that may have unloaded chemical in the water body, which flows towards the River Zuari. “This is a serious incident and should be investigated thoroughly by the police. One can see the change of colour of the water,” she said.
Deputy Sarpanch Mario D’Souza demanded that the police nab the culprits involved in the discharge of the chemical in the water. “This is a very serious matter since the water body touches the river Zuari and the khazans used for fish rearing,” he said.
