Reports have come through that the water flowing down the River
Kushawati in Southesatern Goa, is unusually muddy in the past week. This
time however, the reason for the sudden deteoration of water quality is
not the monsoons which are finally over, but because of mining in these
areas. Unplanned mining activities in Quepem & Sanguem talukas of South
Goa have only increased in the last few years, causing the muddy water
to be seen as far downstream as Sulcorna. "How can the river be so muddy
when its not been raining in this area recently?" questions Soiru Sawant
a resident of Colomba.
At the end of a monsoon season, mining companies start operations by
emptying out accumilated rainwater from central mining pits. Choosing
the quickest, but environmentally unsound way to get rid of this
contaminated and muddy water, they pump it into the nearest stream,
rivulet or river as in this case, the river Kushawati. Sawant goes on to
explain that he's never seen such muddy water even in the heaviest of
monsoon seasons.
http://www.goanet.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=33
Mining seems to be increasing, legally or not. In 2002, during a wild
animal census in the Netravali , Sanguem, I was shocked to see more than
a dozen illegal open cast mines operating round the clock in proteted
wildlife sanctuary. Take a train ride from Margao to Collem, as I did
this week and you will see for yourself that the devastated section
between Sanvordem and Kalem train stations. Between these two stops, the
train gives a glimpse of just a fraction of how bad things are in that
side of Goa... Public roads filled with mining trucks were brown not
black, and all the vegetation around is covered in dust. Huge open pits
can be seen on both sides of the railway lines with mining trucks
milling about. As the train crossed the river Kushawati I'm reminded
that the fish in the river struggle to breathe and suffocation is
common, given the number of fish floating on the surface. "The river is
so muddy that it's even unworthy for my cattle's to drink" complaints
John Cardozo a cattle herder living on the bank in Quepem. What's more
alarming is that this river is the main source of water to number of
"kulagars" situated on its bank and the Paroda irrigation canal, therby
affecting humans directly too. If nothing's done, River Kushawati will
loose it's charm, fear the villagers of Quepem.
-Clinton Vaz with Inputs & Photos by John
Fernandes<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, 30th October 2007
