
Panaji, March 12 (IANS) Goa will rope in the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) to conduct a study on the carrying capacity of the state's popular in a bid to control pollution and the rampant proliferation of beach shacks.
Speaking to reporters at the Goa State Pollution Control Board headquarters in Panaji on Thursday, the board's chairman Jose Noronha said a new mechanism was being evolved to set up clean, paid public toilets on popular beach stretches.
"There may be too many shacks on the beaches. The carrying capacity of the beaches itself should be studied. The board had decided to ask NIO to study the carrying capacity of the beaches to understand how many shacks could be ideally put on a particular stretch of beach," he said.
Located in Goa, the NIO is a central government agency which functions under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Noronha said the study would look at issues related to sewage management and solid waste management in relation to beach shacks.
Several hundreds of beach shacks cater to the over three million tourists who arrive in Goa annually. The shacks are licenced every tourist season and have to be dismantled with the advent of the monsoon.
Noronha said that in view of several complaints about unhygienic toilets in the beach shacks, a paid public toilet system had been proposed by the board.
"We have received a lot of complaints regarding toilet facilities in shacks. We are looking if we can have a common toilet facility on a paid basis, which can be shared by 10-15 shacks," he said.
The facility would have to be maintained by the state tourism department, he added.
Noronha said a study involving the carrying capacity of Goa's rivers would also soon be undertaken in view of the increasing marine traffic as well as river-oriented tourism and infrastructure projects.
"We have asked the environment department of Goa to study the carrying capacity of our rivers," he said.
He said the decision was taken in view of the large number of projects proposed in Goa like house boats, jetties, marinas, pontoons, berthing points for trawlers and boats.
The baseline study, Noronha said, would help determine "how much (infrastructure) we can allow on which stretch" and would help measure water quality and examine the water bodies for contaminants.
NIA Raid In Kerala: Crackdown on PFI in terror funding case, NIA raids 56 places in Kerala
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) raided 58 locations of leaders of the banned Popular Fron
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again leveled serious allegations against the
Russia's attack against Ukraine has intensified. In this war, Russia has to face strong resistanc
The series of bridge collapses continues in Saran. Within 24 hours, the third bridge collapsed. T
Horse and mule riders had a field day during Navratri! So many devotees visited Vaishno Devi.
During the ongoing sacred Sharadiya Navratri, a stream of devotion is continuously flowing at the
In the case of TV actress Tunisha Sharma's death, the main accused has made a big disclosure. She
Why fire in Uttarakhand's forests? Several hectares of forest wealth destroyed
The forest fires in Uttarakhand are now becoming uncontrollable. The government is taking several
On the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin
Another Congress poster girl resigns in UP, Vandana with Shakti Vidhan told why she got angry
Another poster girl of Congress in Uttar Pradesh has given a big blow to the party. Party leader
The Supreme Court of Pakistan will hear today in the National Assembly against the decision of th