Pollution in our Rivers in Goa

Pollution in our Rivers in Goa

http://www.nzdl.org/gsdlmod?e=d-00000-00---off-0hdl--00-0----0-10-0---0---0direct-10---4-------0-1l--11-en-50---20-about---00-0-1-00-0--4----0-0-11-10-0utfZz-8-00&cl=CL1.2&d=HASHd10071ff5b9a81a2180c80.2.5&gt=1 Prepared by Bonifacio Menezes 2.5 Pollution in Goa's rivers and estuaries The Mandovi and Zuari are the two main rivers of the state of Goa. Together, they drain 69% of the state's area, and their basins-are home to 50% of its population and most of its industries. Sources of pollution (Mining, mining rejects, mining activities, use of ammonium nitrate in explosives, Industries and alcohol industry, tar balls, agrochemicals, untreated sewage into nearby water bodies and domestic waste) Mining - Mining covers 500 km²: 14% of Goa's area. There are 581 mining concessions in force, with 350 km² within forest areas. Mining - Goa's iron-ore mines generate between 1000 and 6000 tonnes of rejects every day. Removing the soil reduces infiltration rates and the level of groundwater. The material removed may be carried into rivers and reservoirs, reducing their depth and water-holding capacity. Mining - High concentrations of iron (0.65 to 180 mg/l) have been detected in the estuarine waters of Goa. In 1972-73, about 700,000 tonnes of particulate iron were carried by the Zuari river to the sea each year; 10% settled in the estuarine zone and 20% in the near-shore region. It is likely that the Mandovi river also carries a similar load. Various aquatic organisms accumulate heavy metals, including iron, nickel, zinc and mercury. Mining activities also release arsenic into Goan rivers. The concentration of this element in coastal waters was 3 to 20 times higher than those normally found in sea water. Sedimentation due to mining rejects has reduced the river depth required for navigation, requiring extensive dredging. Use of explosives - High concentrations of nitrates in the surface water of the estuaries are often associated with the use of ammonium nitrate in explosives. It is reported that 10 tonnes of ammonium nitrate is used per month in the mining belt Nitrates are known to cause eutrophication of water bodies. Prawn breeding grounds destroyed - Prawns lay their eggs in sediment in inshore waters. The larvae and juveniles move into the estuaries for food, shelter, and protection from predators. The adult shrimps moves out to sea to repeat this cycle. High sediment loads, with high turbidity caused by mining rejects, reduce the productivity of the estuaries. Industries - Industries are major polluters of the rivers and the sea. They discharge heavy metals, arsenic, ammonia, urea, phosphates, oils and greases into the water. In the past, fertilizer factories released effluents containing arsenic. Urea discharged from fertilizer factories is known to kill two local fish species, Ambassis gymnocephalus and Puntius bimaculatus. Discharge of effluents rich in ammonia and phosphates results in phytoplankton bloom. Effluents also destroy beach ecosystems. Industries - The alcohol industry in Goa generates over 7360 kilolitres of spent wash each year. This waste has a very high biological oxygen demand. This means that micro-organisms in the waste water use large amounts of oxygen, reducing the amount that fish and other animals can use. Tar balls - About 40 tonnes of tar balls, the heavy fraction of oil, are deposited on Goa's beaches every year. Apart from the ecological damage they cause, they also deter tourists, thereby harming the local economy. Agriculture - High use of synthetic agrochemicals like fertilizers, herbicides and insecticides affect terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and potable water supplies. These toxic agrochemical pollutants cannot be removed from water supplies by conventional treatment techniques. Wells in rural areas could be polluted by farming that uses these chemicals. Insecticides and fertilizers also affect earthworms, frogs and snails. Shellfish - Between 1973 and 1983, there was a 70% reduction in the population of clams in beds in Goa's main estuaries. National Institute of Oceanography studies have indicated that the window-pane oysters (Placuna placenta), which adorn traditional Goan windows, have been seriously damaged by mining rejects. The shell-boring organisms Cyanobacteria plectonema terebans and Phormidium sp. concentrate iron 700 to 1000-fold in the oyster shells from the ambient concentration, turning them black. Tourism - Tourism has caused serious water pollution problems in coastal areas. Many hotels discharge untreated sewage into nearby water bodies. High concentrations of pathogenic organisms have been detected around such sites. Accumulated metals in fish Scientific name Common name Accumulated metals Rastrelliger kanagurta Mackerel 16.5 ppm Fe Clupea ilisha Indian herring 22.17 ppm Fe 22.66 ppm Zn 5.6 ppm Ni Thrissocles Malabaricus Shad 17.66 ppm Fe 0.21 ppm Hg Heminhamphus marginatus Half beak 16.6 ppm Fe Thrissocles purava Ribbon fish 0.4 ppm Hg Cynoglossus semifasciatus Matabar sole 3.28 ppm Ni Domestic waste - Most of the waste generated by nearby towns is discharged directly into the estuarine ecosystem without treatment. In the Mandovi-Zuari estuary, over 30 million liters per day are discharged. This has reduced biodiversity and changed the balance of organisms in the estuary.

http://www.navhindtimes.in/pollution-killing-major-goa-rivers/ Pollution ‘killing’ major Goa rivers Posted by: nt June 9, 2017 in Goa News - ABDUL WAHAB KHAN | NT PANAJI: Almost all the rivers in the state are polluted and water availability is increasingly being threatened due to rampant pollution from untreated domestic sewage and industrial effluents flowing into the rivers making the water unfit for drinking or any other purpose, according to a recent study by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB). The pollution of rivers has been caused because of the presence of faecal coliform bacteria on account of the disposal of untreated/partially treated domestic sewage and open defecation. Faecal coliform is a type of bacteria whose presence indicates that the water has been contaminated with faecal matter of human or other animals. The GSPCB study checked the water quality with respect to indicators such as biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), which is the amount of free oxygen found in water, faecal matter of humans or other animals (faecal coliform) and total dissolved solids (TDS). It was found that the water quality was gradually deteriorating thus making the river waters unfit for any use. According to the water quality criteria prescribed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), faecal coliform most probable number (MPN)/100 ml should be 30 or less in river water without conventional treatment but after disinfection. But the study report of GSPCB found the level of faecal coliform in River Sal to be in the range of 13,000-54,000 MPN per 100 ml with dissolved oxygen level not meeting the standards in most of the study period. This being the condition of River Sal at Khareband, one can well imagine the quality of the river waters in other parts of the state. The analysis report of GSPCB found the level of faecal coliform to be in the range of 330-11,000 MPN per 100 ml at six sites of River Mandovi. The analysis indicated that the water quality met the desired criteria of various parameters except for the levels of faecal coliform at all the six locations. The analysis further indicated that the level of turbidity at two locations, that is near Hotel Miramar and at IFFI Jetty exceeded once during monsoon….

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/mandovi-affected-by-pollution-at-mapusa-activists/articleshow/58541680.cms River Mandovi affected by pollution at Mapusa: Activists TNN | May 6, 2017, 08.48 AM IST PANAJI: The Goa Heritage Action Group is in the process of writing to the water resources department (WRD) in regards to construction activities in Mapusa that are allegedly polluting a portion of River Mandovi. A branch of the river in Mapusa has been filled up with mud to accommodate the ongoing construction of the bridge and highway, said Prajal Sakardande of the Goa Heritage Action Group. "Mangroves have been wiped away and mud has been choking the water body. We want to make a representation to the WRD ministry in this regard. They have to ensure all of us that no development work is not done at the cost of the river," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Polluted-stretches-found-in-8-Goa-rivers/articleshow/52680212.cms Polluted stretches found in 8 Goa rivers Murari Shetye TNN | Jun 10, 2016, 02.46 AM IST- Panaji: The Central pollution control board (CPCB) has asked the Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) to submit a detailed action plan for restoration of water quality in the polluted stretches of eight rivers. The polluted stretches identified are between Marcel and Volvoi in River Mandovi, Assonora-Sirsaim in River Assonora, Bicholim-Curchirem in River Bicholim, Pernem-Morjim in River Chapora, Ponda-Opa in River Khandepar, Mapusa-Brotona in River Mapusa, Khareband-Mobor in River Sal and Sakhali in River Valvanti. CPCB's zonal officer S Surech said that GSPCB should prioritize the restoration of the polluted river stretches. GSPCB has been directed to submit water quality data on a monthly basis, and analysis of micro-pollutants have been initiated by the state pollution control board. In all, CPCB had identified 302 polluted stretches on 275 rivers in 27 states and two union territories as having higher levels of organic pollution, assessed on the basis of manual water quality monitoring…..

http://www.navhindtimes.in/goa-rivers-polluted-unsafe-for-human-consumption/ Goa rivers polluted, unsafe for human consumption PANAJI : The Goa State Pollution Control Board chairman Jose Noronha on Friday said all the rivers in Goa are polluted and water from them is unsafe for human consumption due to presence of faecal coliform  in the range of 90-100 mg/l,  which otherwise should be at 30 NPM/ml level.Referring to the findings of a GSPCB report, Noronha said the state rivers have almost 90-100 faecal coliform content, which is dangerous to human health, as the river water was not fit for drinking. However, an assessment by the GSPCB said that all the rivers mostly satisfy  quality requirements as recommended by the Central Pollution Control Board. This was found after analyzing 533 water samples collected from 52 locations in different rivers across the state considering physical, chemical and microbiological parameters…. On an average, the faecal coliform count hovers around 790 to 13,000 colonies per 100 mililitre of water collected from various rivers…. Similarly, the FC level is almost same in the samples collected from rivers Sinquerim, Sal, Zuari, Talpona, Bicholim, Mayem lake and Dando Mollo creek. The highest FC has been recorded in river  Sal (13000) followed by river Bicholim (11000 MPN/l). The least polluted water was river Khandepar with 230-490 MPN/l and river Tiracol (490-790 MPN/l) in the state. The most common bacteria of coliform group is escherichia coli, commonly known as E coli, which is an indicator microorganism for other pathogens that may be present in faeces. The presence of faecal coliform in aquatic environment indicates that the water has been contaminated with the fecal material of man or animals. When its levels are high, there is an elevated risk of waterborne diseases.

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-goa-s-mandovi-river-water-unsafe-for-swimming-fishing-pollution-control-board-1997304 Goa's Mandovi river water unsafe for swimming, fishing: Pollution control board Updated: Jun 23, 2014, 11:36 AM IST, PTI Goa's Mandovi river is unsafe for water sports and fishing due to high level of coliform bacteria in it, according to a recent study by the state Pollution Control Board. "The coliform bacteria content in the water is alarmingly high. The water is full of bacterial contamination which makes it unsafe for recreational bathing, water sports and fishing," says the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) report. The report would be submitted to the National Green Tribunal, which is hearing a petition regarding the pollution caused in the river due to off shore casino vessels. The GSPCB, however, has ruled out that the off shore casinos were releasing untreated sewage in the river water, as the inspection of the vessels revealed that they were abiding by the board's norms. "The casino vessels are complying with the conditions of the consent of the Board, with regards to disposal of sewage, through night soil tankers for treatment at the sewage treatment plant of the PWD,Tonca," the report said, stressing the need to monitor and identify the source of pollution. The suspicion is now raised on the bilge and oily substances from the casino and other ships that use the inland water for transportation. "There is a necessity to monitor the disposal of bilge and oily substances," the GSPCB has said. The report was compiled in May this year, after testing of water samples collected from six different locations of Mandovi river between January 27 and 31, 2014. The parameters monitored were colour or odour, floating matters, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, fecal coliform and biological oxygen demand, the pollution control board said.

https://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/-Goa%E2%80%99s-river-waters-unsafe-for-drinking-swimming/89406.html Goa’s river waters unsafe for drinking, swimming Report by TEAM HERALD - 6 JUne 2015 Rivers Mandovi and Zuari also contaminated at almost every point; 533 samples collected and analysed PANJIM: The bad news is that Goa’s river waters are unsafe for human consumption with high contamination of faecal coliform bacteria, caused by the release of untreated sewage into the rivers. The good news is that the state’s treated water quality has been rated as second best in the country after that of Himachal Pradesh. The river Sal, once the lifeline of Salcete, an important tributary of river Mandovi, is the most contaminated river beds in the state, while the Mhadei and Khandepar rivers are the least polluted. The findings are part of the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWQMP) for the year 2014-15, released by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in its annual report released on Friday – World Environment Day. The faecal coliform count, which needs to be zero, was found to be between 1300 to 7900 colonies per 100 ml water. “Goa’s river waters have almost 80 to 90 percent of faecal coliform content, which is highly dangerous to human health,” GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha told media persons. Noronha said that the faecal coliform is high during the monsoon, when untreated waste water gets released into the rivers. “The treated water of Goa is rated as second best in the country,” he added. Faecal coliform is a subgroup of coliform used to establish the first microbial water quality standards. The presence of faecal coliform in water indicates that faecal contamination of the water has occurred and that consuming the water or swimming in the water may result in illness. The state’s two major rivers – Mandovi and Zuari – are also contaminated at almost every point. .. The increasing coliform bacterium in the rivers was a serious concern raised by National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) during its study in 2011. NIO in its study had said that the waters off Goa’s coast are “unsafe for recreational bathing and fishing”….

http://goastreets.com/goas-dirty-water/ Goa’s Dirty Water by Crespo D'Souza 15/05/2015 The State has 28 water monitoring stations located in its rivers, plus an additional eight for lakes, three for canals and one in a creek. Monitoring at these stations has revealed that the coliform levels shoot up during the monsoons as during this time of the year a lot of the sewage that is otherwise confined to land makes its way to the waters. Sewage runoff is one of the biggest pollutants of Goan waters. Only two cities in the State have sewerage plants up and running – Panjim and Margao. Calangute is only just getting its plant, while Panjim is expanding its facility to include areas such as Dona Paula, Caranzalem and Taleigao. The rest of the sewage in the State is sent to septic tanks, which in turn discharge the sewage into the ground, contaminating ground water. If the septic tank is close to a river, that’s where the sewage will find its way. It can be assumed that some 90 percent of Goa’s sewage is untreated, but it’s hard to say how much of it makes its way to rivers. Coastal sewage definitely does because the soil is sandy. Alarmed by their own findings, the GSPCB has now decided to carry out a study to evaluate the “carrying capacity of the State’s rivers.” “The move is to have in place baseline data to help the board decide better on granting permissions and clearances to riverine projects including marinas, flotels, casinos, jetties and other developments,” Board chairman José Manuel Noronha said, adding that the study will be commissioned to an independent agency, possibly the NIO, which is located on the Dona Paula hill. The ‘carrying capacity study’, according to the chairman, will examine parameters such as the quality of water, contaminants in the river and other items. “No major projects will be allowed unless the study is completed. If it is a minor project, why should we not allow?” he asked….. Bearing the worst of the brunt is Goa’s precious shellfish population. In the summer of 2014, hundreds of clams and other shellfish ended up ‘mysteriously’ dead in Velim in the River Sal, which flows through much of Salcete. The government commissioned a probe, which nailed no one, even as it said that the shellfish perished due to “depleted oxygen levels” in the water. The shellfish of the Sal River are not the only collateral damage. The Chapora river, which flows along Revora, Colvale, Siolim and meets the sea at Morjim, was once famous for its abundance of shellfish like khube, tisreo, kalvam and xinane (all shellfish). Today, these are a rarity. We’ve gotten to the point where Goa now imports shell fish from neighbouring states…..

http://digitalgoa.com/eight-polluted-river-stretches-reported-in-goa/ Eight Polluted River Stretches reported in Goa By  Team Digital Goa - July 19, 2016, 12 :29 pm Mandovi, Assonora, Bicholim, Chapora, Khandepar, Mapusa, Sal and Valvanti are the eight polluted river stretches in Goa as per the report published by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in February 2015. In all 302 polluted river stretches have been identified on 275 rivers in the country based on Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels, a key indicator of organic pollution. Pollution abatement of rivers is a continuous and ongoing process. It is the responsibility of the State Governments/ concerned local bodies to set up proper facilities for collection, transportation and treatment of sewage being generated and ensure that untreated sewage does not fall into the rivers thereby polluting them. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has been supplementing the efforts of the State Governments in abatement of pollution in identified stretches of various rivers under National River Conservation Plan (NRCP) and NGRBA (National Ganga River Basin Authority) programmes. The NGRBA programme along with work of Ganga & its tributaries is with Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (MoWR,RD&GR) from 01/08/2014 onwards. The programmes of NRCP & NGRBA (till 31/07/2014) have  covered polluted stretches of 43 rivers in 200 towns spread over 21 States at a sanctioned cost of Rs. 12202.59 crore so far. Sewage treatment capacity of 5169 million litres per day (mld) has been created so far under these two programmes….

http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=31333 Excerpt from above site Rivers, ground water table polluted! Start recycling Goa’s waste water 33.2 MLD of water gets treated everyday but all of it gets drained into rivers and the ocean, with a minimal amount being recycled. The ground water table and Goa’s rivers are already polluted and in such a situation, recycling waste water seems to be a healthy alternative. 22nd March 2017, 07:05 Hrs The Sewerage and Infrastructural Development Corporation of Goa (SIDCG) was set up to create sewerage systems to all municipalities and coastal areas. Currently only 13 percent of Goa’s urban population is served by sewerage system, much lower than the all India average of 28 percent. Karnataka has 40 percent of its urban population under sewerage system while Karnataka has 38 percent. The threat however lies in maintaining natural resources like the quality of ground water. “Septic tanks and soak pits make the water it contains even more hazardous and dangerous and finally get to the ground water table, therefore contaminating it too. 90 percent of the ground water table is contaminated, so are all our rivers. The rivers are not even fit for bathing. Soil fertility is also getting damaged. Agriculture and horticulture is getting affected,” said Arvind Patil, SIDCG managing director.......

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/japanese-companies-to-research-on-carcinogenic-content-in-goa-waters/articleshow/30992522.cms Excerpt from above site Japanese companies to research on carcinogenic content in Goa waters PTI| Updated: Feb 25, 2014, 03.35 PM IST ....... River Sal flows behind Cuncolim Industrial estate, a home for several metal processing units and Bethora rivulet is on the periphery of Bethora Industrial Estate near Ponda town, 25 kms away from Panaji. Samples from 78 different spots were collected by the experts and sent for analysis at Chennai based laboratory as part of this project which was officially announced today but the ground work for it had already begun last year.  Kanji Tamamushi (Panasonic Excel International Corporation) and Shunsuke Kawakami (Asahi Geo Survey Co Ltd) both from Japan and Indian researcher P Sreenivasalu Reddy along with Goa University Professor Dr Joe D'Souza have been working on this project which began in September last year and will complete in February 2015. Noronha said that after the analysis of water samples, the next step would be to identify the source from where these carcinogenic products are pushed into these waterbodies

https://www.heraldgoa.in/The-Sunday-Roundtable/The-Sunday-Roundtable/seven-year-project-to-clean-river-sal/66455.html Seven year project to clean River Sal 29 June 2013 The Goa State Pollution Control Board and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will undertake a mammoth seven year project to clean the River Sal, chairman of Goa State Pollution Control Board Jose Manuel Noronha has said. TEAM HERALDteamherald@herald-goa.com PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will undertake a mammoth seven year project to clean the River Sal, chairman of Goa State Pollution Control Board José Manuel Noronha has said. Speaking at a seminar on “Water scarcity and its sustainable utility for Goa”, Noronha said Friday that the contamination levels in River Sal have touched levels way beyond the permissible limits, which are a cause of concern...

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Groundwater-levels-depleted-by-North-Goa-hotels-CAG/articleshow/24109035.cms Groundwater levels depleted by North Goa hotels: CAG TNN | Oct 14, 2013, 12.55 AM IST

http://www.cgwb.gov.in/District_Profile/Goa/NORTH-GOA.pdf Excerpt from above site Sr NO.16 - Major ground water problems & issues  • Ground water in dug wells & borewells in areas around Baga & along Chapora river isbrackish to saline due to seawater ingress. • Ground water in areas adjacent to stream course in NE of Panjim is polluted due to domestic sewage.  • Scarcity of ground water during summer months due to high sub – surface run off in hilly topography and highly permeable nature of phreatic aquifer. This results in lowering of water level or drying of wells during summer months.

http://www.cgwb.gov.in/District_Profile/Goa/South_Goa-2012.pdf Excerpt from above site Sr No.16 - Major ground water problems & issues (South Goa) · Scarcity of ground water is observed during summer months as a result of high sub – surface and surface run off due to hilly topography and highly permeable nature of phreatic aquifer system. This results in lowering of water levels or drying of wells in some areas in summer months. · Seawater ingress: Water table aquifers around Marmugao, especially locations close to and in the vicinity of creeks shows high electrical conductivity & chloride indicating brackish to saline nature of ground water.  · In areas confined to the vicinity of creeks of Sal River, ground water is brackish and unsuitable for drinking. Salinity is more pronounced during May when fresh water flow is minimum and maximum seawater ingress takes place