Licensing ignores capacity, water adequacy; experts seek reform
PANAJI
The recent diarrhoea outbreak in Dabolim, which left dozens of residents hospitalised, has reignited concerns about the unchecked growth of mega real estate projects in Goa and their impact on water quality.
Health officials have traced the outbreak to contaminated water supplies, underscoring how fragile infrastructure is buckling under the weight of rapid urbanisation.
Residents say the outbreak was a disaster waiting to happen. “We warned authorities that the sewage lines were inadequate and water pipelines were being overburdened by new housing complexes,” said activist Ana Fernandes.
Flawed clearance system
At the heart of the crisis lies Goa’s licensing and clearance framework, which critics argue is deeply flawed.
Projects are often approved without assessing the carrying capacity of a locality or the adequacy of its water resources.
Environmental lawyer Malisa Simoes explained: “Clearances (for real estate projects) are granted based on paperwork, not ground realities. There is no serious evaluation of whether the area has the infrastructure to sustain thousands of new residents.”
This systemic gap has allowed large residential complexes to mushroom in several of Goa’s rural and semi-urban regions like Dabolim, even when water supply and sewage treatment is woefully inadequate.
The Dabolim outbreak has thus become a stark reminder of how public health risks are magnified when basic infrastructure is ignored, but there are no signs that lessons will be learnt.
Kadamba plateau: A case study
The Kadamba plateau near Old Goa illustrates the problem vividly. Despite lacking a piped water network, the plateau has seen a surge in residential and commercial projects. Residents rely almost entirely on tanker water and borewells, raising costs and depleting groundwater reserves.
“We are living in modern apartments but fetching water like villagers,” said a plateau resident Anil Desai. “It’s unsustainable.”
Experts warn that such development without infrastructure planning is a recipe for repeated crises.
“The Kadamba plateau is being built up as if water will magically appear,” noted a hydrologist working with a Central government PSU.
“This is precisely how outbreaks like Dabolim’s happen,” he said.
Public health and environmental risks
Beyond immediate health concerns, the strain on aquifers and the risk of contamination pose long‑term threats. Children and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to waterborne diseases, while groundwater depletion jeopardises future water security.
Activists and experts are calling for urgent reforms. They argue that licensing systems must integrate carrying capacity studies and water adequacy assessments before clearances are granted. Infrastructure – particularly piped water and sewage treatment – should precede construction, not follow it.
As Goa’s real estate boom collides with its fragile water infrastructure, the Dabolim outbreak stands as a grim warning. Without reform, similar crises may soon unfold across the State’s rapidly urbanising landscapes.
