Dumped oil hits Goa

before peak season

Goa is facing a tourism disaster after tons of waste oil dumped by an unidentified ship into the Arabian Gulf washed up on the pristine beaches just one month before the tourist peak begins. Colva, Candolim and Calangute beaches popular with winter sun seekers have all been badly hit.

Swapnil Naik

Top Tourism Official Swapnil Naik Goa

“Tar balls are washing up on the best beaches forming solid six-inch layers of oil on the sand. Workers are using brooms to collect and clear the debris, but more tar is washing ashore all the time.”

Aleixo Sequeira

Environment Minister Goa

“Indian navy and coastguard vessels are trying to trace the offending ship, which is believed to have dumped burnt oil about three days ago.”

SR Shetye

National Institute of Oceanography Goa

“Ships regularly clean tanks and discharge the waste oil at sea, but in this case a vessel dumping oil exceeded all proportions. Crude oil mixes with water to form an emulsion that looks like chocolate pudding. Winds and waves continue to stretch and tear the oil patches into smaller pieces, or tar balls.”

Gaurish Dhond

President

Travel and Tourism Association Goa

“This should not have happened. It will not be good for tourism in Goa, Goa depends heavily on tourism for revenue and attracts some 2.4 million visitors every year, including about 400,000 from overseas. The main tourist season runs from October to March.”