the goan I network
MARGAO
The Investigation Cell of the Goa Human Rights Commission on Tuesday conducted an inspection of houses, water bodies, fields and wells in Sao Jose de Areal following complaints from some local residents of dust pollution from a carbon unit.
Led by police inspector Manoj V Mardolkar, the team visited the house of the complainants, including Alcina Fernandes, the government primary school and residential houses and took documentary evidence of the situation in the area.
PI Mardolkar further said while the brief before the cell is to prepare and submit a factual report in the matter before the Goa Human Rights Commission, he made it clear that the cell would also take the views of the employees employed in the carbon unit, including 50 per cent of the work force from the village, before submitting the report to the Commission.
“We have come across some black dust participles in the houses and on cars. We will verify the matter before preparing the report,” he said.
Besides the complainants, the Commission’s Investigation cell had also issued a notice to the Goa State Pollution Control Board to depute its representatives for the site inspection of the carbon unit.
Social activist, Dr Jorson Fernandes pointed out that though the inspection is being carried when rains must have washed away the dust settled on plants, he cautioned that apart from the gross dust visible to the eye, the respirable dust, which cannot be seen, pose a health hazard to the residents staying in the
vicinity.
Complainant Alcina Fernandes echoed similar sentiments, pointed out that the dust particles has posed a nuisance and a health hazard to the residents, while pining hopes on the Goa Human Rights Commission to mete out justice for the affected people.
