Panaji: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) on Tuesday informed the Bombay high court that sections of Mala lake — opposite the old Sulabh toilet and the PDA building — continue to remain polluted. The court observed that qualitative and quantitative water reports identified raw sewage discharge along the lake's western and northern periphery as the primary cause of pollution, leading to severe oxygen depletion and fish deaths.
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) informed the court that out of 38 show-cause notices issued to lakeside homes for releasing sewage and waste water, only six households are still not connected to the sewerage network. It stated that 20 houses applied for and obtained sewage connections and are now linked to the sewage line, six connected to the vacuum sewer system, and another six built soak pits connected to septic tanks.
The CCP said that the outlets of the remaining six houses are sealed and there is no discharge, but the division bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Hiten Venegavkar remarked that sealing is not a solution. The CCP added that if the six do not apply for sewage connections, their premises will be sealed. It also noted that some lack documentation while others face objections from neighbours to allowing a sewage line to pass through.
The high court directed the CCP commissioner and the chief general manager of the Goa State Sewage Infrastructure Development Corporation to persuade the six remaining households to apply for connections or install septic tanks for wastewater. It also asked the sewage corporation to process pending applications after collecting the required documents from applicants.
Court Seeks Mandovi Water Update
The court further sought an interim report on the Mandovi river's water quality to be placed on record. It referred to TOI's report showing alarming findings from the pollution control board and asked for the river's present condition, adding that it expected the board to conduct checks every two months given the earlier results.
