The High Court of Bombay at Goa criticised the Goa government for not taking cognisance of the illegal bore wells and soak pits that are rising along the Calangute and Candolim beach belt.
The HC further directed government authorities to immediately seal illegal wells whilst also asking the Tourism Department, Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), Water Resources Department (WRD) and Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to carry out a joint inspection and file a report by February 21.
Many of these wells are reported to be dug up by shacks without permission. The Northern coastal belt has been reeling with a water crisis for quite a while. Locals constantly complain about an inadequate water supply due to the high water consumption by shacks and resorts.
The government must take strict action against these violators. Letting them go scot-free would only highlight how much our representatives care about the water crisis.
The Goa government has already failed to tackle the Mhadei issue and seems nonchalant about the water woes within its own borders. Failing to act now will cost locals dearly in the near future.
