Colva hotels come under govt scanner

MARGAO: Following a high court directive, the deputy collector, Margao, and a high-level committee comprising Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) officials, tourism department officials and other government representatives inspected nine hotels at Colva over the last couple of days.
The inspection committee commenced the two-day inspection on Monday and two out of eight hotels were found to have set up a sewerage treatment plant (STP) as per GSPCB instructions.Similarly, on Tuesday, only four hotels were found adhering to GSPCB norms.
The GSPCB had inspected the creek in May and after finding traces of raw sewage, directed the Colva panchayat to stop hotels from discharging sewage into the nullah.
Panchayat officials said that most of the hotels had stopped dumping garbage into the creek, adding that they would initiate stringent action against those guilty of doing so.
"Garbage is being dumped after midnight so it is difficult to keep a check on this activity. They should actually dump waste at the recycling unit, which we have placed near the panchayat office," a Colva panchayat official told TOI.
Tourism department officials were also told to stop dumping and burning garbage on the Colva beach. The beach comes under the jurisdiction of the department of tourism.
Colva civic and consumer forum secretary Judith Almeida, who is also the complainant in the case, said that people are seen defecating on the beach during the mornings. "It is unbearable to walk on the beach with so much garbage lying around," the social activist said.
Deputy collector D M Redkar said that the onus of responsibility lies on the panchayat to revoke licences of those flouting the rules. "The panchayat should initiate action by revoking the licences of the establishments which are not adhering to pollution norms," Redkar, who is also the Salcete sub divisional magistrate told TOI.
Government sources further confirmed to TOI on Tuesday that the deputy collector, Margao, has issued instructions that all encroachments which are found in no-development zones at Colva are to be demolished immediately.