A river turned into a gutter TNN | Mar 4, 2015, 02.00 AM ISTIsidore Domnick Mendes
The village of Seraulim in Salcete taluka has seen generations of its inhabitants eat local fish from the River Sal as part of their daily diet. Unplanned, haphazard development was brought to the village in the recent past which has now left the river in a polluted mess, even as the fish in the river, have decreased drastically. Seraulim, with a population of 5,000 residents, is surrounded by Goa's commercial capital, Margao, and the villages of Betalbatim, Colva, Nuvem, and Benaulim. It comprises 12 vaddos including Acsona, Botlem, Bolcho, Compsaltor, Tonten-Dimund, Dulcolim A, Dulcolim B, Dulcolim C, Dulcolim D, Socobhat, Dongrim and Mugdi. This pristine village has agricultural fields and three 'tollem' (lakes) which are visited by migratory birds around the year. Seraulim shares its eastern boundary with the River Sal, which was once famed for its catch of local fish, such as Horcheo, Pintoll, Valloi, Chingull, Kannare, Thellea, Dhadio, and Ainsodam. The villagers are unhappy as local fish hardly makes an appearance in their daily meals due to the drastic depletion of the catch caused by the discharge of sludge, effluent, and waste from the Margao wholesale fish market operated by the South Goa planning and development authority (SGPDA). Villagers also complain about clandestine operations in which hospital and nursing homes have been dumping medical waste by the riverside which has further hurt the river ecologically. The SGPDA wholesale fish market was built in 2003 and is the most important hub for South Goa residents to buy their seafood in bulk. The fish market does not have an effluent treatment plant as well as parking area. "Due to the release of sewage by the wholesale fish market, River Sal at Seraulim has been almost turned into a gutter. It is a criminality that nothing is being done to prevent further damage caused by the ejection of waste from one of the biggest fish markets in Goa, which, till date does not have a facility to treat its waste. The traditional fish available in River Sal are dying because the water does not flow and has become stagnant," says Kevin D'Souza, an activist, who hails from Dulcolim A and is also a member of the United Sports Club of Seraulim and the Fabrica. Concurs Ruben da Costa, a resident of Acsona vaddo, "The wholesale fish market in Margao is more of a bane than a boon to us Seraulimkars. The entire waste from this fish market is being dumped into the River Sal and this has led to the complete dwindling of local fish. We, villagers, every morning, face taxing traffic snarls as private and commercial vehicles park and occupy almost the entire stretch of the two-lane road opposite the fish market." The villagers say that the drastic depletion of traditional fish in River Sal has been the worst misery brought by the SGPDA wholesale fish market upon the village of Seraulim. "The still water caused by dumping and discharge of waste and effluents into River Sal has killed almost all the traditional varieties of fish which was delectable in taste. Till a decade-and-half ago, households in Seraulim relished mouthwatering cuisines such as Ambott-Tik, Jirem Mirem, Para (dry fish pickle) etc. Now, the fish available in the river is hardly consumed because it stinks and also has an insipid and bland taste," states Angelica da Costa, 86, widow of freedom fighter, late Fabio da Costa. The panchayat is optimistic that efforts undertaken by local MLA Caetano 'Caitu' Silva and fisheries minister Avertano Furtado will lead to a lasting solution for the cleaning of River Sal. "The panchayat has taken up with authorities concerned, this issue of the Sal river getting polluted and destroyed by the SGPDA wholesale fish market. The gram sabha has also discussed the issue at length. The local body is confident that efforts of the MLA, Silva, and fisheries minister Avertano Furtado will yield fruit," states sarpanch Leslie Dourado. The local MLA Silva says he is aware of the task assigned to him by his Seraulim constituents. "Desilting as well as removal of waste from the Sal river hold the key to solving this problem. The river water has also got blocked at Nuvem and an all out effort has to be made to tackle this menace. Apart from SGPDA's waste being dumped into the river, the mangroves are also playing a role in making the river water stagnant. With the active support from all government departments, including Captain of Ports, fisheries, forest and water resources department, I am confident that a solution will be found very soon," said MLA Caetano 'Caitu' Silva. Top View The panchayat has taken up with the authorities concerned, this issue of the Sal river getting polluted and destroyed by the SGPDA wholesale fish market Leslie Dourado, sarpanch With the active support from all government departments, including captain of ports, fisheries, forest and water resources department, I am confident that a solution will be found very soon Caetano 'Caitu' Silva, MLA People's take The fish available in River Sal are dying because the water does not flow and has become stagnant Kevin D'Souza, resident Till 15 years ago, villagers enjoyed delectable dishes prepared from the river fish. Today, the fish is hardly consumed because it stinks and also has an insipid and bland taste Angelica da Costa, resident The wholesale fish market in Margao is more of a bane than a boon to us Seraulimkars. The entire waste from this fish market is being dumped into the River Sal which has led to the dwindling of local fish Ruben da Costa Problem Problem Dwindling Agriculture Like almost all other villages in Goa where agriculture has taken a complete back seat, in Seraulim, too, few people can be found cultivating rice and vegetables. "It is really sad that despite the agriculture department encouraging agriculture in our village, there are a few takers for it," rues Kevin D'Souza. Garbage Woes Villagers complain that waste management has a long way to go in Seraulim if it has to meet with success. The locals are dejected to find that an area in Dulcolim A is being used to dump garbage generated by the hotel industry. Migrant menace "Seraulim has become a preferred place for non-Goans. The erstwhile MLA's flawed handling of the 20-point programme has led to an influx of migrants in Socobhat vaddo," says a villager on condition of anonymity. Trivia The village has been abode to famous children of Goa. They include late Felicio Cardozo, freedom fighter and Konkani writer of great repute, who also edited a newspaper called 'Sot'; late Fabio da Costa, freedom fighter and first vice president of South Goa Pradesh Congress Committee; and, late Fr Joe Gomes, the priest assigned to Rachol seminary, who donated a lot for the development of the Our Lady of Pilar Church, built in 1635. The priest, who died on April 18, 2010, also built a social welfare trust through which the church hall was built. Gomes was a visionary, as he also set up a fund for the construction of a school in the church complex. The late Gracinda da Costa was the first woman sarpanch of the village. She, along with the other elected members of the local body, played a pivotal role in the construction of the Seraulim railway station, which was built in 1973. Even today, Seraulimkars use the railway station to catch local trains to travel to Vasco, Margao and even the Diva station in Maharashtra to get to Mumbai.
