IT'S DANGEROUS TO FISH AND BATHE IN THE MANDOVI, ZUARI: NIO GERARD DE SOUZA
Permitted Coliform Count: 5/ml. In some places on the Mandovi it is 1900/ml [email protected] PANJIM: Scientists of the National Institute of Oceanography have discovered waters in Goa's two main rivers Mandovi, Zuari and along the coast have levels of bacteria far higher than the permissible for recreational bathing and even fishing. The study carried over a period of seven years from 2002 to 2007 and published this year also compares bacterial count in water off Goa's main harbour Mormugao. According to "European Blue Flag Beach Criteria" that coliform counts in excess of 5 CFU/ml in natural water are 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 fishers of the region. Except for gardening and use in flushing of toilets, freshwater with counts higher than 5 is unacceptable for domestic uses such as washing utensils, feeding farm animals, poultry, etc. Where as in samples analysed by scientists at the NIO in some cases the coliform count in the River Mandovi was as high as 1,900 / ml much higher than the prescribed (see table). Speaking to Herald, Dr N Ramaiah the lead scientist who conducted the study said that the main if not only cause for this was release of completely untreated sewage into the water as well as questionable morning habits of people. "Almost all the sewage released in the rivers is untreated. Even one gram of stools contains millions and millions of coliform bacteria. So when it is present in water naturally the count goes up," Dr Ramaiah told Herald. He also informed that the count was higher during the monsoon as other times of the year. "Seasonal sampling indicated higher coliform counts during monsoon which may be attributed to increased surface runoff into these estuaries carrying, among others, the fecal matter from the land. High pollution during monsoon may be a consequence of heavy surface runoff providing inputs of pathogenic micro-organisms into the water column. However, FC and EC were higher upstream," he said. "The study also found that bacterial concentrations in Mandovi estuary are higher than those from Zuari. There is an increasing trend in the abundance of fecal coliforms in these estuaries. Prevalence of harmful bacteria in such concentration in the lower stretches of the estuaries are of serious health concern since these areas are used for recreational, fishing and shell-fishing purpose," Ramaiah said. http://www.oheraldo.in/news/Local%20News/IT-rsquo-S-DANGEROUS-TO-FISH-AND-BATHE-IN-THE-MANDOVI-ZUARI-NIO/49205.html
