Cruise ships generate sewage, greywater, hazardous wastes, ballast water, solids and air pollutants. If released without proper treatment, these wastes could put toxic substances into the environment that would threaten human health and aquatic life.

Some time back the All Goa Fishermen’s Co-operative Association had sounded an alarm that the sea as well as the Mandovi river were being polluted by commercial vessels and offshore casinos, which throw garbage generated in them and also empty their sewage tanks in the sea waters. Significantly their apprehensions have been proved true. A report of the Goa State Pollution Control Board underlines that a huge amount of pollutant is discharged into the sea. The report maintains that each of the vessels on an average generate 40 plastic bottles, 50 cans and 30 kg wet garbage. These vessels also accepted the fact that they discharge the water used for the purpose of cleaning and toilet in the Mandovi river. On its part the GSPCB had issued show cause notice to eleven cruises which included two vessels owned by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation. The state has been earning a huge revenue from the casinos but this is certainly not a reason to allow them to endanger the river and people’s health. Allowing cruises to operate does not mean that the cruises have been given the right to pollute the river water. The river is facing real danger and the government ought to act fast. The offshore casinos anchored on the Mandovi have no sewage treatment facility and the garbage generated in these vessels, each vessel carrying 1000 people per night, was being discharged in the Mandovi waters. The government should strictly enforce regulatory provisions.