Panaji, June 10 (TNN): Goa's Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik has urged the Union minister of state for environment and forests Prakash Javadekar (independent charge) to depute a team of experts to Goa to find a solution to the state's polluted rivers.

He has written a letter to the Union minister following reports that the Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) has found that all the major water bodies, including rivers, lakes and creeks, are polluted due to sewage contamination.

Through year-long monitoring, the board has established the presence of faecal coliform of 90MPN (most probable number) in most water bodies. For drinking purpose, water should have zero MPN.

Naik had raised the issue of pollution of Goa's rivers in the Parliament six moths ago and had got a written reply on December 11, 2014 , stating that as per Central pollution control board's (CPCB) 'Status of water quality in India-2012' report, the total coliform and faecal coliform levels do not meet the desired water quality criteria at many locations.

Quoting the observations of GSPCB's chairman Jose Noronha, Naik has brought to Javadekar's notice the current situation of water bodies in the state.

Naik said the matter cannot be taken lightly as all rivers in Goa are polluted and water from them is unsafe for human consumption due to presence of faecal coliform.

The report, which was released on the occasion of World Environment Day by environment minister Alina Saldanha, states that water samples collected from River Mandovi had faecal coliform content.

Naik said that the presence of faecal coliform in aquatic environment indicates that "there is an elevated risk of waterborne diseases".