6 major lakes face serious threat from pollution

PANAJI: Six major lakes face a serious threat from pollution and rapid development, as a directive of Bombay high court at Goa to prepare a detailed plan for their protection has been relegated to the backburner.

The government had constituted a task force in 2003 after the court issued a few directions to the forest department to protect Carambolim lake and take up the conservation of six other lakes including Pilar, Verna, Rumder in Nuvem, Calapur in St Cruz, Raitollem and Curtorim lake.

A division bench comprising then Justice Ferdino Rebello and Justice P V Hardas had taken a suo motu cognizance of press reports of the plastic and other waste spilling from Konkan railway station into the Carambolim lake body.

"No task force meeting has been held for more than two years," a source said.

The judges had even visited the Carambolim lake before passing a landmark order on August 13, 2003, issuing a series of directives to the state government, forest department, Konkan railway and the tenants association.

A 25m buffer zone had been marked around the Carambolim lake, illegal structures were demolished and fencing was done near the railway station.

"But, we were stuck on Carambolim lake and have not been able to turn our attention elsewhere," a source conceded.

Rapid construction activity and the non-demarcation of buffer zones around the lakes has raised concerns about the pollution from sewage and other wastes to the lake's ecology and avifaunal biodiversity.

A forest department official conceded that marking of a no-development zone in other lakes has not been carried out. "No such exercise has been done, as the other lakes are with the water resources department (WRD)," he said.

A WRD official confirmed that the lakes are under his department's jurisdiction. "This was not clarified before the court by the forest department," the official said.

Further, the official said that the department has undertaken improvement of the lakes in a phased manner.

But when pointed out that the buffer zone was not set out, the official said"It is not possible in all cases, as the areas are habitated."