GSPCB report on mangrove destruction at Curchorem STP site disputed

Margao: A sharp conflict has emerged over the environmental impact of the under-construction sewage treatment plant (STP) at Curchorem, with activist Aditya Dessai challenging the Goa State Pollution Control Board’s (GSPCB) inspection findings that claim there was no mangrove destruction at the site.

Following a joint inspection on July 21 by GSPCB officials, along with representatives from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), the pollution control board concluded in its report that “mangroves were observed at the site and were not found to be uprooted” but appeared “submerged due to ongoing land levelling activities”.

However, Dessai, who filed the complaint that led to the inspection, strongly contested these observations. In a complaint sent to the central pollution control board, ministry of environment, forest and climate change, and other regulatory bodies on Tuesday, Dessai stated the report contains “misleading and factually incorrect” information.

“Evidence in the form of photographs of uprooted mangroves clearly contradicts the statement

in the report. Additionally, video documentation exists showing your officers present at the site during the inspection, witnessing the destruction of mangroves,” Dessai wrote in his letter to the authorities.

The 7.5 MLD capacity STP, being constructed by the Sewerage and Infrastructural Development Corporation of Goa Ltd (SIDCOL), is located near Hodar bridge at Curchorem. The facility holds a valid consent to establish from GSPCB, valid until 2030 or commissioning, whichever comes first.

During the inspection, local residents raised several environmental concerns. These included alleged violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms, potential flooding risks due to narrowing of the river stream, and concerns about water contamination affecting a nearby Ganapati visarjan site.

The GSPCB report acknowledged that SIDCOL obtained necessary clearances, including CRZ approval and a No Objection Certificate from the forest department. However, activists argue the project violates environmental safeguards under the EIA Notification 2006.

Dessai has demanded immediate rectification of the “inaccuracies” of the GSPCB’s inspection report.