Washed away from river Sal, water hyacinth invades Mobor beach belt

MARGAO
Guess where has the thick green carpet of the water hyacinth, a native to the river Sal suddenly disappeared after the onset of monsoons?

Welcome to the picturesque white sandy Mobor-Cavelossim beach belt – the hub of starred resorts in down South Goa, which plays host to an annual visitor during monsoons – the water hyacinth.

Tons of the water hyacinth has been washed ashore on the Mobor beach belt after being flushed out from the river Sal.

In a way, nature has got rid of the water hyacinth weed from the river Sal when it was the responsibility of the contractor engaged by the Water Resources Department to desilt the river to execute the de-weeding work before the onset of the monsoons.

Strong water currents are believed to have cleared the carpet of water hyacinth from river Sal, which has been flowing in full spate since the onset of monsoons. Officials say the water hyacinth has taken deep roots in the river Sal, thanks to the rampant discharge of raw sewage water in the river.

While the river is rid of the weed by the monsoons, the presence of the weed on the Mobor beach belt may give sleepless nights to the Cavelossim village panchayat.

Chairman of Cavelossim Biodiversity Management Committee, Roy Barretto said the water hyacinth has invaded the Mobor beach after being washed away from the river Sal due to the strong water current. “It is clear the water hyacinth has been washed away from the river Sal and has invaded the Mobor beach near the mouth, where the river empties into the Arabian Sea. This problem could have been averted had the authorities de-weeded the river before the onset of the monsoons,” Roy pointed out.

In fact, a visit to the Mobor beach will reveal that water hyacinth is strewn around the beach belt.

Roy added: “The weed that has invaded the beach is emitting sewage odour. The weed has taken roots in the river Sal along the Margao stretch because of the rampant sewage discharge in the river.”

He, however, said that the weed that has been washed ashore on the Mobor beach will die and disappear once it comes in contact with salt water. The issue that may remain unresolved is the plastic waste mixed with the weed lying on the shore.

The Cavelossim Biodiversity Management Committee Chairman said village Sarpanch Dixon Vaz has promised to take up with the government the issue of segregating the waste washed ashore on the beach. “We expect the beach cleaners to take up the work on priority so that the plastic and mixed waste does not end up in going into the sea,” he added.

Sarpanch Dixon said the situation is not easy as it appears to be easy. “We will have to deploy a JCB machine to clear the beach of the weed. The beach is smelling of foul sewage odour. We plan to undertake the job around mid-August when the rains subside,” he said.

The Cavelossim Sarpanch said the panchayat would take up with the government to inquire whether the river Sal de-silting contractor had failed to de-weed the river stretch between Margao and Benaulim before the onset of monsoons.