Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: The study being conducted by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) for monitoring riparian biodiversity on a sampling mode, sand replenishment and sand erosion will be completed by May this year.
CSIR NIO Director Professor Sunil Kumar Singh said, “We are studying the status of eco-system, how much sand is there. We are mapping the sand thickness, how much it is, how much it is coming, how much it is going, how much has been stolen. Study on Chapora river is over and on Zuari and Mandovi its underway. Actually we would have finished the work but due to Covid 19 we could not.” Mr Singh said in the second phase 11 rivers of Goa would be taken up for survey. “The Government of Goa has asked us to conduct complete survey of the rivers. The data which would come out would be really very good.
Almost everything would be there,” he said. “We will submit our final report on sand and erosion study to government by May 2021,” he added.
In 2019, Goa Government has entrusted NIO with monitoring riverine and riparian biodiversity on a sampling mode and carrying out assessment studies for sand replenishment or accretion, erosion and biodiversity of rivers.
In the first phase, the NIO is to conduct survey of four tivers -Chapora, Terekhol, Mandovi and Zuari while in the second phase, it will undertaker sampling, survey and data analysis of seven other rivers.