Fishing boat on the River Sal (72166048)

The Sal River is a small river in

Salcete Salcete ( Konkani: ''Saxtti''/''Xaxtti''; pt, Salcette) is a sub-division of the district of South Goa, in the state of Goa, situated by the west coast of India. The Sal river and its backwaters dominate the landscape of Salcete. Hist ...

Goa Goa () is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region, geographically separated from the Deccan highlands by the Western Ghats. It is located between the Indian states of Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the ...

, India. Thought to be the smallest river in

. The river opens near Verna and flows in south-western direction for 16 kilometers passing through the villages of

Nuvem Nuvem is a town and part of Salcete sub-district of South Goa district, Goa, India. Geography Nuvem is situated along the National Highway 17. Its neighbouring villages include Verna, Majorda, and Seraulim. It is located 5 km from ...

Mongul Mongul () is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Writer Len Wein and artist Jim Starlin created the first version of the character, who debuted in ''DC Comics Presents'' #27 (November 1980). Jerry Ordway created the sec ...

, Seraulim,

Colva Colva is a seaside village situated in Salcete subdistrict, South Goa district, Goa state on the west coast of India. Colva Beach spans about along a sandy coastline of approximately extending from Bogmalo in the north to Cabo de Rama in th ...

Margao Margao or Madgaon is the commercial capital of the Indian state of Goa. It stands on banks of the Sal river and is the administrative headquarters of Salcete sub-district and South Goa district. It is Goa's second largest city by population aft ...

Benaulim Benaulim is a village in the state of Goa, India. Located in Salcete taluka of South Goa district, it neighbours Colva village to the north, Margao in the northeast and Varca village to the south. During Portuguese rule, it was one of the nin ...

Navelim Navelim is a census town and fast growing suburb of the city of Margao located in the Salcete sub-district of South Goa district, Goa, India. It has a large parish and has played a crucial rule in South Goa politics at some stage. The region ...

, Varca, Orlim,

Carmona Carmona may refer to: Places Angola * the former name of the town of Uíge Costa Rica * Carmona District, Nandayure, a district in Guanacaste Province India * Carmona, Goa, a village located in the Salcette district of South Goa, India ...

, Dramapur,

Chinchinim Chinchinim (''Chinchone'') is a census town in Goa state, India. It is located in the Salcete Tehsil, ''taluka'' of South Goa district. Prior to achieving the current status of a small township, it was considered one of the biggest villages of ...

Assolna Assolna ( '' Konkani'':असोळणें or Osollonne) is a village, considered a town for census purposes, in the Salcete sub-district of South Goa district, in the state of Goa, India. It is known for restaurants, ferry, the small tradit ...

Cavelossim Cavelossim is a village in South Goa district in the state of Goa, India. The town hosts a well-known beach at the southernmost tip of the Salcete beach stretch that starts from Majorda in the north to Cavelossim in the south. The Sal Riv ...

, Mobor and drains itself into the

Arabian Sea The Arabian Sea ( ar, اَلْبَحرْ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Bahr al-ˁArabī) is a region of the northern Indian Ocean bounded on the north by Pakistan, Iran and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by the Gulf of Aden, Guardafui Channel ...

at Betul. Sal river boating is also a tourist attraction. Fishing was common occupation of the local residents in the olden days which boosted the economy of the Goa but has declined due to the pollution of the river banks. In past few years rapid Urbanization, encroachment, deforestation and wastage dumping led to severe pollution and loss of marine ecology. Local residents of Benaulim have been complaining to the Government since 2008 about pollution and the dumping of garbage into the river and residents of

have raised a

Greenpeace Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning network, founded in Canada in 1971 by Irving Stowe and Dorothy Stowe, immigrant environmental activists from the United States. Greenpeace states its goal is to "ensure the ability of the Earth t ...

petition to stop a "mega-housing project" which it is feared will add to the pollution. On 4 February 2018, the Central Government of India sanctioned a project worth Rs. 61.74 crore for controlling the pollution on the river Sal.

References

External links

Rivers of Goa Geography of South Goa district Rivers of India {{India-river-stub