Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: The Goa government has identified key pollution hotspots across various rivers and creeks in the state and has initiated measures to restore water quality.
In a reply tabled in the Assembly to MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira said that based on water quality data from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), pollution has been observed at several locations including the Sal River at Kharewado and Benaulim, the Mandovi River at Tonca and Britona, the Chapora River at Siolim, and the Sinquerim–Candolim belt.
The GSPCB has collected water samples from 73 locations, including beaches, rivers, borewells, and sewage outfalls, as part of the 2024–25 monitoring. The data showed several locations falling below the desired water quality standards.
The Minister informed that directions have been issued to the Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation (SIDCGL), local authorities, and tourism stakeholders to take corrective action. Coastal Zone Management Plans and beach carrying capacity assessments are also being considered to guide development while protecting water bodies.
The Environment Department, in coordination with the GSPCB, has committed to further monitoring and enforcing compliance under the Environment Protection Act to tackle water pollution more effectively.
