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Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Waters in Goa's lakes, borewells polluted: GSPCB
Panaji: The Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) stated that the water of lakes, wells, borewells, estuaries, and coastal waters in the state is polluted, but the water quality of rivers and waterfalls meets prescribed standards. In its annual report released on Thursday, the board mentioned that air quality is good to satisfactory for most of the year from April 2023 to March 2024. The board monitors water quality at 115 locations throughout Goa under the national water quality monitoring programme (NWMP). The water bodies monitored include rivers, wells, canals, lakes, reservoirs, creeks, nallahs, and common STPs (inlet & outlet). Among the rivers, estuarine rivers and freshwater rivers form a part of the riverine network at water intake points for water treatment plants for public water supply. Groundwater sources (borewell water) located within selective major industrial estates are also part of this programme. Besides, selective coastal beach locations (20 coastal shoreline waters) along the coast of Goa are also included under the NWMP network. The 115 locations covered under this programme are distributed throughout Goa, with 54 stations in North Goa and 61 in South Goa. The 115 locations are divided into two groups, which include 107 monitored on a monthly basis and eight (bore wells located in some industrial estates) monitored on a half-yearly basis as per CPCB protocol. A total of 1,263 samples were collected from these locations and analysed during the year 2024-2025. 'NWMP locations categorised under class C (rivers/waterfalls) throughout the state comply with prescribed CPCB standards most of the year. St Inez creek (North Goa) and Bethora nallah (South Goa), categorised in class B, indicate non-compliance with CPCB's prescribed standards most of the year for parameters like DO, BOD, faecal coliform, and faecal streptococci,' the board said. 'For NWMP locations categorised under class E (lakes), parameters namely conductivity and specific absorption ratio do not comply in a few instances in the year, as per CPCB prescribed standards, while all other parameters comply,' the board said. 'For NWMP locations categorised under class A (wells/bore-wells), parameters namely DO and BOD indicate non-compliance most of the year. The majority of the locations classified under SWII (estuaries and Cumbharjua canal), as well as some coastal waters, indicate non-compliance with faecal coliform as per CPCB prescribed water quality standards,' the board said. Under the national air quality monitoring programme (NAMP), the GSPCB monitors 18 ambient air quality monitoring (AAQM) locations within Goa. Besides the 18 AAQM locations, the board monitors an additional location at the fire brigade station, MPT. Out of the 18 NAMP locations, 16 locations are outsourced to laboratories recognised by the Union environment ministry, and three stations' sampling and analysis are conducted by the board's staff. Parameters like particulate matter (PM10), particulate matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), and nitrous oxide (NO2) have been monitored at all the stations. 'Air quality in Goa, as per locations monitored for the period April 2024 to March 2025, is good to satisfactory for the maximum time of the year. However, it is satisfactory to moderate for industrial estates like Cuncolim, Tuem, Bicholim, Vasco, Baina, and Kundaim. The field observations around the monitoring locations indicate the prominence of anthropogenic activities like vehicular movements, construction activities, and road digging,' said GSPCB. There are six AQI categories, namely good, satisfactory, moderately polluted, poor, very poor, and severe, based on eight pollutants. The good to satisfactory air quality category may cause minor breathing discomfort to some people. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Water quality of 39 lakes deemed worst by state pollution board
Panaji: The water quality of 39 lakes spread across Goa has been classified as Class E, which is the worst level and unfit for outdoor bathing. Most people in the state go to lakes for a summer dip. The lakes were tagged Class E mostly because the water in these water bodies is stagnant. The Goa State Pollution Control Board ( GSPCB ) submitted the water quality data of the lakes to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The central authority periodically reviews water quality data of aquatic resources monitored under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP). The water quality data of stagnant water bodies, including lakes, tanks, and ponds for the year 2023 was compared with primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing. 'It is to inform that 39 locations are classified as Class E (irrigation, industrial cooling, controlled disposal) based on the designated best use of the water body, and some of the water bodies show a slight variation with respect to pH and conductivity,' the GSPCB said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like How can a 3-month-old get cancer? Please help! Give Hope India Donate Now Undo The water bodies are Ambulor lake, Bandolem lake, Batim lake, Betal temple lake, Bondvol lake, Canturlim lake, Carambolim lake, and Cottombi lake. The others are Curca lake, Curtorim lake, Dashi lake, Dhakte (Diuler) lake, Dhulpe lake, Durga lake, Gawali-Maula lake, and Kamala lake. The list also includes Karmale lake, Khandepar lake, Macasana lake, Maimollem lake, Malebhaat lake, Mayem lake, Nanda lake, Orlim lake, Panchami lake, Parra lake, and Pilerne/Saulem lake. The other water bodies are Raitollem lake, Saipem lake, Sappu Tollem (Tollea Bandar), Sarzora lake, Sulabhat lake, Talaulim lake (Talsal lake), Tarvale lake, Tarvalem lake, Toyyar lake, Udden lake, Vodle Tollem, and Xeldem lake. 'Harvalem waterfall and Anjunem lake are classified as Class C based on the designated best use of the water body and are complying with the Class C parameters,' the GSPCB said. A senior officer said, 'Water is classified as Class A to Class E, and Class A is the best quality of water, whereas Class E is the worst quality.' The officer added, 'It means that lakes classified as Class E are not fit for outdoor bathing but only for irrigation, industrial cooling, and controlled discharge.' The Central Ground Water Board's annual groundwater quality report of 2024 said that Goa's groundwater remains among the safest for human consumption in the country on more than six parameters, with contents like fluoride, nitrate, and others in 100% of samples tested from the state. Panaji: The water quality of 39 lakes spread across Goa has been classified as Class E, which is the worst level and unfit for outdoor bathing. Most people in the state go to lakes for a summer dip. The lakes were tagged Class E mostly because the water in these water bodies is stagnant. The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) submitted the water quality data of the lakes to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The central authority periodically reviews water quality data of aquatic resources monitored under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP). The water quality data of stagnant water bodies, including lakes, tanks, and ponds for the year 2023 was compared with primary water quality criteria for outdoor bathing. 'It is to inform that 39 locations are classified as Class E (irrigation, industrial cooling, controlled disposal) based on the designated best use of the water body, and some of the water bodies show a slight variation with respect to pH and conductivity,' the GSPCB said. The water bodies are Ambulor lake, Bandolem lake, Batim lake, Betal temple lake, Bondvol lake, Canturlim lake, Carambolim lake, and Cottombi lake. The others are Curca lake, Curtorim lake, Dashi lake, Dhakte (Diuler) lake, Dhulpe lake, Durga lake, Gawali-Maula lake, and Kamala lake. The list also includes Karmale lake, Khandepar lake, Macasana lake, Maimollem lake, Malebhaat lake, Mayem lake, Nanda lake, Orlim lake, Panchami lake, Parra lake, and Pilerne/Saulem lake. The other water bodies are Raitollem lake, Saipem lake, Sappu Tollem (Tollea Bandar), Sarzora lake, Sulabhat lake, Talaulim lake (Talsal lake), Tarvale lake, Tarvalem lake, Toyyar lake, Udden lake, Vodle Tollem, and Xeldem lake. 'Harvalem waterfall and Anjunem lake are classified as Class C based on the designated best use of the water body and are complying with the Class C parameters,' the GSPCB said. A senior officer said, 'Water is classified as Class A to Class E, and Class A is the best quality of water, whereas Class E is the worst quality.' The officer added, 'It means that lakes classified as Class E are not fit for outdoor bathing but only for irrigation, industrial cooling, and controlled discharge.' The Central Ground Water Board's annual groundwater quality report of 2024 said that Goa's groundwater remains among the safest for human consumption in the country on more than six parameters, with contents like fluoride, nitrate, and others in 100% of samples tested from the state.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Time of India
Velsao fish deaths case: NGT disposes of petition
Representative image. Margao: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) disposed of a petition concerning fish mortality at Velsao Bay after noting that the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had already taken appropriate remedial actions against the culpable company. The case came before the western zone bench of the NGT. The petition sought an intervention regarding the mass fish deaths that occurred at Velsao Bay, which were attributed to the effluent discharge from Paradeep Phosphates Ltd (PPL), a fertiliser manufacturing company operating at Zuarinagar, Mormugao. Following a site inspection and the analysis of the water samples from the rivulet, the GSPCB determined that PPL's operations contributed to environmental damage. Subsequently, the board imposed environmental damage compensation of over Rs 12 lakh on the company for the violations. In addition to the monetary penalty, the GSPCB took preventive measures by securing a bank guarantee of Rs 25 lakh from PPL to ensure compliance with the conditions. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Highest Earning College Majors—2025 Edition Best Paying Degrees | Search Ads Learn More Undo According to the affidavit submitted by the GSPCB, it conducted a further inspection of the unit in Sep 2024. The pollution had abated, the inspection found. The NGT bench, comprising judicial member Justice Dinesh Kumar Singh and expert member Vijay Kulkarni, observed that the pollution was effectively controlled following the GSPCB's intervention. No order against PPL is required, the NGT said.
