Mining deposits continue to pollute Goa's water, says CAG

Two reservoirs, including Goa’s largest water catchment facility that caters to more than half a million residents, are choked with manganese-laced mining deposits, according to the latest Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) report

PANAJI: Two reservoirs, including Goa’s largest water catchment facility that caters to more than half a million residents, are choked with manganese-laced mining deposits, according to the latest Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) report.

The Selaulim reservoir caters to nearly half of the population in South Goa district. PIC FOR REPRESENTATION ONLY

The report claims that the manganese content in the water of the Selaulim reservoir, which is ringed with mines, many of them illegal, had manganese content which is “10 times higher than the acceptable limit”.

Although mining has been banned in Goa since 2012, the CAG report, quoting reports from the Public Works Deparment (PWD), says that “manganese deposit in the dam water was due to concentration of many mining activities in the surrounding catchment areas of the dam as the mining dumps percolate to the dam water during monsoon and remains in the water in soluble condition.”

The CAG report has called for immediate action as the Selaulim reservoir caters to nearly half of Goa’s population in South Goa district — nearly 600,000 — and also provides water to parts of North Goa.              

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