The submission was made before the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday during the hearing of a suo motu PIL into large-scale fish death at Mala lake.
The CCP stated that a joint inspection was carried out in collaboration with the Fisheries Department and the Water Resources Department (WRD) to identify sources of contamination. With around 200 houses inspected so far, the CCP submitted to the Division Bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Amit Jamsandekar that 31 houses were found to be releasing sewage into the drainage network connected to the lake.
As such, notices have been issued to the identified households, with copies marked to the Health and Electricity Departments for further action. The civic body further informed the Bench that verification of additional houses, located around the lake, is ongoing.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam submitted that the findings confirm sewage discharge into the lake and raised concerns about deteriorating water quality.
The Bench took a firm view, observing that untreated water cannot be allowed to enter the lake. “You cannot discharge water without testing its quality,” the court remarked, while pointing to lapses in monitoring by the authorities.
The Court further directed the WRD and GSPCB to complete inspection of houses located on the west of Mala lake within three days.
Taking note of the sewage treatment plant (STP) located adjacent to Mala Lake, the court directed the Corporation to place on record detailed reports on the quality of water being discharged into the lake. The matter has been posted for the next hearing on May 13.
