Following concerns by residents around the Cacora Waste Management Plant and the recent fish deaths in a nearby rivulet, officials from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) visited the site and carried out an inspection.
Water samples from the affected rivulet, along with other relevant samples, were collected for laboratory analysis to determine the cause of the fish deaths.
Local leaders Pushkal Sawant and Dattaraj Raut Dessai, who were also present at the site inspection, had demanded an immediate site inspection to ascertain the cause of the incident.
Speaking on the issue, Dattaraj Raut Dessai alleged there was a prima facie possibility that toxic effluents released from the waste treatment plant may have contributed to the death of the fish.
He urged authorities to thoroughly investigate the matter and identify the exact source of contamination.
The GSPCB officials assured the villagers that immediate remedial measures would be taken if any irregularities or environmental violations were detected at the waste treatment facility.
The aggrieved residents also appealed to the GSPCB to halt waste treatment operations at the Cacora Waste Management Plant if the facility continues to pose a threat to public health, local ecology, and marine life.
Locals further informed the officials that a similar incident had occurred last year and that the recurrence of such an event has heightened concerns among residents about the long-term environmental impact of the plant's operations.
They claimed that repeated incidents have raised serious doubts regarding the future safety of the surrounding ecosystem and the well-being of communities residing in the vicinity.
The findings of the laboratory analysis are awaited and are expected to provide greater clarity on the cause of the fish deaths and any potential environmental hazards associated with the waste treatment plant.
