Porvorim: Goa Forward Party legislator and Port Minister Jayesh Salgaoncar today told the House that government is in the process of constructing a vessel which will tackle the pollution in inland waterway due to oil spillage.
Salgaoncar said that the a new vessel is being constructed by the Ports Department which will work in tackling the instances of oil spillage in inland waterways. He was replying to various Questions raised by legislators on Demands for Grants for Port department.
Without mentioning the deadline when it would be commissioned, the minister said that the new vessel will tackle the oil spills in the rivers and it would be equipped with a separate tank to store the oil, besides various equipments required to have such kind of exercise.
Salgaoncar said that State has 555 kilometre long inland waterway of which 255 kilometre is in Mandovi and Zuari rivers. The minister said that another new ship is also purchased which will be used for toeing the vessels which are left stranded midway in the inland waters.
The minister said that Port Department conducts regular researches related to the inland waterways. “The department has proposed dredging at the mouth of Chapora river (North Goa) at the cost of Rs 5 crore,” he said.
“As far as dredging of River Sal is concerned, the work order has been placed before CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography to conduct Environment Impact Assessment (EIA),” he said.
The minister said that the new building for the Port Department is being constructed which will also house the offices of all the related stakeholders including Barge Owners Association.
Salgaoncar said that under union government’s Sagar Mala programme, nine jetties would be constructed in the inland waterways of Goa which includes four floating jetties.
