NT Reporter
Panaji
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday expanded the scope of a suo motu petition concerning fish deaths at Mala lake to include pollution in the Mandovi river.
“Whilst this petition is pending, we have come across a newspaper report, wherein Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has stated to have conducted a qualitative and quantitative study of water in the Mandovi and has come up with certain alarming findings,” said the division bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit S Jamsandekar.
The court said the primary issue requiring attention is the high quantity of faecal coliform bacteria present in the river, particularly in areas where casinos operate. “In this view of the
matter, we propose to expand the scope of this petition including Mandovi river line area in order to remedy the water pollution, which is obviously taking place therein,” the bench said.
The court noted that the last GSPCB report on water quality in the area was dated November 7, 2025.
It directed the GSPCB member secretary to conduct a fresh qualitative and quantitative study and prepare a report on the water quality in the Mandovi, especially at the estuary between the IFFI jetty and the Mandovi bridges.
The bench said the study should focus on assessing water quality around
each of the casinos stationed in the area, as well as other marine craft used for tourism. GSPCB has been directed to file its report by June 1.
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) informed the court that a survey of houses in the vicinity of Mala lake is underway. It has been found prima facie that around 31 houses may be releasing sewage into stormwater drains that flow into the lake and contribute
to pollution.
The court also directed the Goa State Sewerage Corporation to submit a report on the impact and pollution levels of water discharged from the sewage treatment plant at Mala.
It further directed the CCP, Water Resources Department and the Pollution Board to carry out a joint inspection of houses on the western side of the lake.
“We direct the CCP Commissioner to conduct a joint inspection of each residential house along with the western periphery of the lake, along with the officers of the Sewerage Corporation, Health Department and the Pollution Board to ascertain the exact cause for the presence of faecal coliform bacteria and identify their sources.”
The team shall also inspect each and every house along the western periphery of the lake and ascertain which of these houses are engaged in discharging the sewage directly into the Lake.
