NT Reporter
Panaji
The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday, in the matter of dead fish found floating in Mala Lake, directed the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) to submit a detailed plan indicating the location of each house with corresponding house numbers to enable authorities to identify and trace the source of pollution.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit S Jamsandekar said that the CCP should also indicate on the plan the existing sewage lines in the area.
“In the absence of such infrastructure, the commissioner shall file an affidavit explaining the manner and method of sewage disposal in the locality,” it said.
All authorities who are parties to the petition are expected to take immediate remedial measures to control and reduce the deteriorating water quality of the lake and maintain its ecological balance, the High Court said.
Advocate General Devidas Pangam said that an officer of the Pollution Control Board has collected samples from the Lake and that these are under examination.
Initial test results indicated that dissolved oxygen levels were as low as 0.8 mg/ltr, against the normal level of 4.00 mg/ltr, which appears to be the immediate cause of the fish deaths. It was stated that sluice gates at Mala Lake, Neogi Bandh and Ourem Creek were opened, resulting in oxygen levels rising to approximately
11.83 mg/ltr.
It was further stated that bacterial test reports are yet to be finalised and that pollution may be from multiple sources, including sewage discharge.
The Advocate General said that the Pollution Control Board and the Health Department are monitoring the situation.
The High Court said that there is a pumping station and sewage treatment plant near the northern side of the lake and noted the presence of paddy fields and residential houses along both boundaries, which may be potential pollution sources.
The Court directed the CCP Commissioner to inspect residential houses and surrounding areas within a 200-metre radius to check for discharge of
untreated sewage.
Nigel Fernandes was appointed as Amicus Curiae.
The Goa Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation was directed to be impleaded as a respondent, and the amendment is
to be carried out within
two days.
