Take immediate measures to improve Mala lake water quality: HC to govt

Panaji: In the suo motu PIL concerning large quantities of dead fish floating in Mala lake, the Bombay high court on Tuesday directed the authorities to take “immediate remedial measures” to arrest the lake’s deteriorating water quality.

Stating that it suspects sewage being discharged, the division bench of Justices Valmiki Mennezes and Amit Jamsandekar directed the CCP commissioner to inspect the area and submit a plan of houses within a radius of at least 200m of the lake, with details such as house numbers and their location, to enable the authorities to trace the source of pollution.

The HC directed the CCP to also mark on the same plan if there is a sewage line available and, if not, to submit an affidavit giving details of the method by which sewage generated by residential areas around the lake is being disposed of.

During the hearing, advocate general Devidas Pangam told the HC that the problem appears to be due to a lack of oxygen levels.

Tests conducted on April 11 indicated that the dissolved oxygen level in the water was 0.8mg per litre as against the normal/control level of 4mg per litre, Pangam said, and added that after the sluice gates were opened, the level increased to 11.8mg per litre on April 13.

“We are not able to tell exactly why it happened. The possible reasons could be stagnant water, the growth of algae in the bed, or sewage discharge,” Pangam said.

Tests concerning bacterial content in the water are expected on Wednesday, he said.

The bench said measures have to be taken quickly, and added that it wants to get to the “bottom” of the matter before there is “irreversible” damage.

The HC noted that on the northern side of Mala Lake, a pumping station and a sewage treatment plant are in proximity to the water body. It further observed that extensive paddy fields and a large number of residential houses exist along the southern and northern boundaries of the lake, which may be potential sources contributing to pollution.

Besides the CCP, the division bench sought responses from the Goa State Pollution Control Board, health services, Goa State Sewerage Development Corporation, fisheries department, and the water resources department in the PIL. It appointed advocate Nigel Fernandes as amicus curiae to assist the court.


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