Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has told the Bombay High Court at Goa that faecal contamination in the River Mandovi has remained above permissible levels at most monitoring points for several years, although recent data suggests the river’s water quality is beginning to improve.
The observations were submitted through a detailed water quality assessment report in the ongoing public interest litigation relating to pollution in the Mandovi River and Mala Lake. After reviewing the report, the High Court directed the amicus curiae to study the findings and place any recommendations before the court during the next hearing in August.
According to the Board’s analysis, faecal coliform levels have exceeded the prescribed standard in a majority of water samples collected between 2016 and 2026. During the 2025-26 monitoring period, nearly 96 per cent of samples collected from eight locations along the river recorded contamination beyond the acceptable limit.
The Mandovi falls under the SW-II classification for coastal waters, making it suitable for activities such as bathing, water sports involving direct contact and commercial fishing. Under these standards, faecal coliform concentration should not exceed 100 Most Probable Number (MPN) per 100 millilitres of water.
While highlighting the persistent pollution, the GSPCB also noted encouraging improvements. It stated that the overall range of faecal coliform concentrations recorded during 2025-26 was the lowest since regular monitoring began. Water samples collected in March 2026 showed contamination levels of 70 MPN per 100 ml at IFFI Jetty and 33 MPN per 100 ml at Mandovi Bridge, both falling within the prescribed norms.
The report further observed that pollution levels were not uniform across the river. Upstream stretches such as Tonca-Marcela, Amona and areas near the Vedanta plant consistently registered higher bacterial contamination than downstream locations, including Hotel Marriott, IFFI Jetty, Mandovi Bridge and the Ribandar-Chodan ferry crossing.
During the hearing, the High Court also granted additional time to the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) and the Sewerage and Infrastructural Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCGL) to file a report on sewage connections of residential properties surrounding Mala Lake, where a recent fish kill has raised concerns over possible sewage discharge into the water body.
