Sewage pollution warning hits Goa

GOA'S beaches - among the most popular in India - are unfit for swimming and fishing because of high-levels of sewage, scientists have warned.

They found dangerous levels of faecal coliform bacteria in coastal and river waters, which could endanger local fisheries.

Senior scientists at the government-run National Institute of Oceanography said contamination had been measured at 190 colony forming units, almost double the safety level of 100 units.

Goa is one of the most sought after beach destinations in India. It attracts nearly 2.6 million tourists annually, including nearly half a million foreigners, mostly from the UK, Russia and Germany.

Scientists at the institute released their findings after a study of water pollution in the region over the past six years.

"When you enter the water, it forms a film around your body. It is fortunate that external contamination is rare. But if you have a cut on your skin or a wound, it could be serious," said senior scientist N Ramaiah.

He said raw sewage had been released into the Mandovi and Zuari rivers for decades but the pollution had worsened as the population living in riverbank settlements had increased.

Simon de Souza, chairman of the quango, the Goa State Pollution Control Board, expressed surprise at the findings and said that the state needed an extensive sewerage system to prevent further pollution of coastal waters.

A proper sewerage system would ensure treatment of waste before it was discharged into the river system, he said.

"We insist on sewage treatment plants for hotels which have 25 rooms or more. But those with fewer rooms use septic tanks, which indirectly flow into the groundwater and from there into the sea," he said.

Manguirish Pai Raikar, chairman of the Goa Chamber of Commerce, said he would raise the issue with the state government. "God forbid, if there is an epidemic, there will be an advisory against visiting Goa and that will be the end of the tourism industry."