Goa offshore casinos under strict sewage control, GSPCB says
The Goa State Pollution Control Board has denied that vessels may be polluting the Mandovi River.
India.- The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has responded amid suggestions that offshore casinos on the Mandovi River could be causing pollution. It said vessels were subject to strict sewage disposal regulations.
A senior GSPCB official said each casino boat has a sealed tank for collecting sewage He said a GSPCB official and a representative from the Captain of Ports are stationed to monitor the tanks and that their seals can only be opened in the presence of both officers. Sewage is then taken by barge to the shore, where tankers transport it to the sewage treatment plant at St Inez for processing, it said. However, he said offshore casinos have been asked to set up online monitoring systems to continuously check water quality around vessels.
“The casino boats are anchored at fixed locations, which allows us to conduct water quality tests year-round. About four months ago, we instructed them to install online monitoring systems and they were expected to implement it,” he added.
Goa currently has six offshore casinos operating on the Mandovi River.
