Goa’s Captain of Ports has initiated a plan to desilt a 2.1-km Mapusa River tributary to address heavy siltation, difficult navigation for local fishermen and monsoon flooding in agricultural fields in Moira and Ucassaim.
The proposed stretch runs from its confluence with the Mapusa River to Teen Manos in Ucassaim. The Captain of Ports will appoint an agency to conduct a rapid environmental impact assessment (REIA) before the project proceeds. The assessment is required for the project’s Coastal Regulation Zone and environmental clearances.
According to the reported plan, the channel would be widened to 15 metres and deepened by 2 metres. Silt accumulation has reduced the channel’s navigability, particularly during low tide, affecting local fishermen. During the monsoon, the reduced depth of the channel restricts the movement of rainwater and contributes to flooding in low-lying areas and agricultural fields.
The project is intended to address both navigation and drainage concerns affecting residents and fishing communities in Moira and Ucassaim. However, the environmental assessment will examine whether changes to the channel could affect sensitive coastal ecosystems in and around the project area.
The REIA will study the physico-chemical characteristics of water and sediment within a 10-km radius. It will also assess fish diversity and map organisms including phytoplankton, zooplankton and benthos. Physical and hydrodynamic modelling will be used to examine sediment movement, transportation and dispersion, along with the project’s potential impacts.
The agency will also assess risks to mangroves, sea grasses and coral reefs. It is expected to prepare an environmental management plan, recommend mitigation measures and assist the government in obtaining the required CRZ and environmental clearances.
The assessment must be completed within 90 days of the award of the contract, according to the reported project process. That timeline places the environmental study before any decision on implementation and requires the proposed channel widening and deepening to be evaluated alongside its possible effects on water flow, sediment behaviour and aquatic habitats.
The plan follows an earlier controversy involving a separate Tar-Moira river desilting project. The Water Resources Department had withdrawn a technical sanction of Rs 72.7 crore after activists raised concerns about cost escalation and possible impacts on mangroves. The earlier episode has made the environmental and financial scrutiny of river desilting projects a significant issue in the region.
The next formal steps are the appointment of the REIA agency, completion of the 90-day assessment, preparation of the environmental management plan and processing of the CRZ and environmental clearance applications.