MARGAO
Observing that the unit was operating in violation of the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and Air Act, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has directed the management of Ms Seahath Canning Pvt Ltd operating at the Nessai Industrial Estate in Sao Jose de Areal to stop/ suspend the operations and stop the discharge of effluent outside the premises through underground pipelines and seal the pipelines.
The GSPCB Member Secretary has further directed the management to submit the action plan for the remediation of fields and water bodies.
The management has been directed to remain present before the Member Secretary of the Board on June 30, at 3 pm so as to submit its say/ explanation with regards to the non-compliances observed in the inspection conducted on 21/6/2023 and of the Audit Report.
The GSPCB has warned that failure to comply with the aforesaid direction will compel the Board to initiate stringent legal action which may include closure of the unit or appropriate penalty as defined by the Board under Polluter Pays Principle or all of the above, as decided by the Board, against the management under the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 without further notice.
The GSPCB directions assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the uproar witnessed in Areal two days ago wherein villagers and activists called for stern action against the fish processing unit for allegedly contaminating the water bodies.
Velim MLA Cruz Silva, who called on the GSPCB Chairman Mahesh Patel on Thursday demanded to shut down the plant for contaminating the water bodies. “I am happy that the GSPCB has issued the directions to Ms Seahath Canning to stop the operation. The GSPCB has referred the directions to various authorities for enforcement,” Cruz said.
GSPCB’S ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT OF FISH PROCESSING UNIT
The audit report has indicated the unit is operating with valid Consent to Operate but the manufacturing volume is more than three lakh tins/month as prescribed under Condition-2 due to various large, medium and small size of tins and respective large, medium and small quantities for fish.
The report stated that the site has established tin manufacturing activity on the same premises and has neither obtained Consent to Establish nor informed the Board.
It was further pointed out that the site is granted permission to send fish waste to fish meal plant, however site has installed their own fish meal plant on the premises without obtaining Consent to Establish and Consent to Operate.
The audit stated that the ETP Primary Treatment process units are underground and are not designed scientifically. The Oil and Grease collected from the ETP primary treatment is converted to fish oil and for this activity site has neither obtained Consent to Establish nor informed the Board. Site operates with GSIDC water supply as well as with tanker water, while the treated effluent disposal is outside premises for banana plantation.
The audit stated that the original ETP capacity has been enhanced and upgraded without permission from GSPCB as required under 6.(i) of General Condition, further stated that the site has gone ahead with civil construction of new building as expansion without obtaining Consent to Establish from the Board.
The GSPCB added: “Whereas as per the Water Act and Air Act, consent of the Board is precedent for establishment/Expansion of an industry or for taking any establishment. Thus, the observations as above indicate that you are operating in violation of the provision of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
