24/06/2014 …Stating that an alarming situation had arise due to the higher rate of coliform content in river mandovi the state congress party on Tuesday demanded immediate ban on the casinos operating in to the mandovi belt thus blaming them for the release of untreated sewage which had polluted the river making it unsafe for bathing and fishing…
It may be noted that the National Institute of Oceanography in its recent report had stated that waters of River Mandovi were unsafe for recreational bathing, water sports and fishing due to the waters of River Mandovi that houses five off-shore casinos were containing alarmingly high levels of coliform bacteria caused by the release of untreated sewage.
The report stated that the parameters that were monitored were colour or odour, floating matters, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, faecal coliform and biological oxygen demand and the water was full of bacteriological contamination and stated adding there was a need to monitor and identify the source of pollution.
Interestingly, coliform content in the water sample collected opposite Panjim jetty, where almost all the casinos are presently anchored, was as high as 330/ml and the coliform content ranged between 78/ml to 330/ml.
As per GSPCB norms, coliform counts in excess of 5 CFU/ml in natural water is unsafe for bathing. CFU/ml is a unit used to measure the bacteria present in water which indicates the total Colony Forming Units of bacteria present per ml of water.
In essence, total coliform counts exceeding 5 per ml have serious implications for bathers and fishermen in the area.
Addressing media person’s spokesperson of the state congress party ulhas parab said that the casinos operating in river mandovi should be banned immediately and should not be allowed to function till proper procedures are put ill place thus not polluting the river
Mr parab urged the state government to take strict action on those who were found guilty in polluting the river and to be booked under the environment protection
Meanwhile advocate pratima coutinho also criticized the state bjp led government and its cabinet minister for not taking the issue of water scarcity seriously …
