the goan I network
MARGAO
Visitors to the world famous Colva beach and local residents alike watched with horror as black contaminated water gushed out from the polluted creek into the Arabian Sea since early Saturday morning, as fresh water fish lay dead at the mouth of the creek.
As the water emitted foul odour, visitors and locals were puzzled over the source of the contaminated water, raising questions whether water stored in tanks was released in the creek taking advantage of the heavy pre-monsoon showers that hit the village late Friday night.
Fresh river fish, including Kilape and small sized Shevte were found dead near the mouth of the creek, with locals attributing the fish mortality to the contaminated water.
While it is not a new phenomenon for the creek waters to enter the sea during the monsoons, what has taken aback the locals was the flow of effluents via the creek.
A resident of Margao Chidambar Chonekar, who is a regular visitor to Colva beach every morning,
wondered whether any tourists would come to the world famous beach if they know that dirty water has found its way in the sea. “I was surprised when I came across dirty water, emitting foul odour, gushing into the sea. This water contains pollutants and poses a health hazard to people going in the sea”, he said, while seeking to know whether the govt will take action against the erring business houses or individuals.
A local resident Malu Fernandes demanded to know whether any sensible visitor would enter the sea with black contaminated water around. “The authorities should find out who’s behind the
release of the dirty water in the sea through the creek. This appears to be waste and sewage water. It is emitting dirty odour”, he said, while demanding to know how and where was the water stored.
When The Goan called up the Colva Sarpanch, Anthony Mam Fernandes to shed light on the episode, he said some unscrupulous elements must have taken advantage of Friday night’s heavy showers to release the water.
The Sarpanch, who visited the creek, said rain water from the village gets accumulated in the village lake before it flows in the creek and sea.
“The rain water appears to have got mixed with the waste in the creek. It could be quite true that some unscrupulous elements might have also discharged their waste taking advantage of the rains”, the Sarpanch added.
He, however, replied in the negative when asked whether the Colva panchayat had brought the episode to the notice of the Goa State Pollution Control Board and invited the officials for an inspection.
