Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: The Bombay High Court at Goa has disposed of a 2011 public interest litigation (PIL) concerning pollution in Colva creek and beach, after taking note of the measures undertaken by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
A Bench comprising Justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita P. Mehta passed the order on August 4, observing that sufficient steps had been taken to address the concerns raised in the PIL filed by the Colva Civil and Consumer Forum.
The petition had alleged that several hotels, restaurants, and beach shacks were discharging waste into the creek and the sea, and had sought action against violators, including cancellation of licences by the GSPCB and local panchayats.
In response, the GSPCB filed an affidavit stating that public toilets at Colva beach had been made operational and sewage was being directed to a dedicated sewage treatment plant (STP). The Board also submitted that show-cause notices were issued to the Water Resources Department (WRD) to curb raw sewage discharge and to commercial entities failing to comply with pollution norms.
An inspection confirmed that the STP was functioning, and that the treated water was being reused. A status report was also submitted, covering 43 commercial establishments in the area. The Board assured the Court that any further complaints brought to its notice by the petitioners would be promptly addressed.
Recording satisfaction with these steps, the Court disposed of the PIL, while granting liberty to the petitioners to approach the GSPCB in the event of any fresh grievances.
