PANAJI: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has issued show cause notices to the managements of eleven luxury/ tourist cruise vessels - including Santa Monica and Shantadurga run by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation

– operating in River Mandovi, based on the observations and recommendation of a report as regards pollution caused by these vessels in the river.
The GSPCB report recommends that all these vessels should be compelled to seek licences for disposing the sewage as well as wet garbage generated on them, and further possess a tank on board for storing of water used for the purpose of cleaning and toilets. It also observes that no such vessel has sought consent from the GSPBC to operate under Water and Air Act as also the authorisation for hazardous waste.
The report further maintains that each of these cruise vessels, on an average, regularly generate 40 plastic bottles, 50 cans and 3 to 4 kg wet garbage. It also notes, “The operators of these cruise vessels have accepted the fact that they are regularly discharging the water used for the purpose of cleaning and toilets, in River Mandovi, which collectively amounts to thousands of liters.”
Furthermore, it has been learnt that every luxury/ tourist cruise vessels, on an average produces 40 litres of burnt oil/ residual oil per year, which needs to be disposed. The two cruise vessels namely M V Princess and MV Coral Queen produces 200 litres of burnt oil/ residual oil per year, while M V Swati generates 150 litres of such oil, annually. The GSPCB is still trying to figure out the oil disposal method adopted by these vessels.
The report has been prepared by a three-member GSPCB team, which on May 12 visited the eleven luxury/ tourist cruise vessels anchored in River Mandovi, after receiving complaints that the sewage generated on these vessels was uninterruptedly discharged in the river.
Meanwhile, the managing director of the GTDC, Mr Nikhil Desai said that though the Corporation has not received any show cause notice from the GSPCB yet, he is of the opinion that the cruise vessels need to be modified to comply with the norms of the pollution board.
“Our luxury/ tourist cruises were more than two decade old and were designed as per the requirements of those times; however, the situation is totally different now and the management of the GTDC would go all the way to comply with these changed norms,” he stated, adding that the newly tendered luxury/ tourist vessel of the GTDC will have all the facilities including treating the sewage water aboard.
Replying to a question, Mr Desai said that the GTDC cruise vessels are very particular about disposing the burnt oil/ residual oil as also segregates the dry garbage before its disposal; both these wastes not disposed in the Mandovi waters.