Locals demand urgent cover amid threat of runoff during rain
Hazardous waste dump at the Cuncolim IDC exposed to rains. Santosh Mirajkar
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s assurance on the floor of the House to Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao who represents Cuncolim in the Goa Legislative Assembly to clear the hazardous waste at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate by October has brought a glimmer of hope to local residents.
The hazardous waste, left behind at the Cuncolim Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) by Ms Sunrise Zinc, has been lying unattended for the past 18 years, despite repeated government assurances that have failed to materialise.
However, on the ground, residents are raising serious concerns and demanding immediate intervention by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and Goa IDC. They fear the ongoing monsoon rains could lead to contamination of nearby water bodies, as the uncovered hazardous waste is vulnerable to runoff.
Locals pointed out that the GSPCB’s annual practice of covering the dump with tarpaulin sheets to prevent pollution has once again failed. This year, strong winds have torn away the tarpaulins, leaving the toxic waste exposed to heavy rainfall.
While welcoming the Chief Minister’s commitment to clear the dump by October, residents insist that authorities must act now to mitigate further environmental damage. They are urging the immediate re-covering of the waste with durable material to prevent contamination until the monsoon season ends.
Social activist Aviraj Desai, who has long been at the forefront of the fight against pollution at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, issued a stern warning to the authorities. “The hazardous waste is scheduled to be shifted to the Pissurlem landfill site, and we welcome the Chief Minister’s decision. But before that happens, the government must urgently cover the dump again. Otherwise, the rainwater runoff will severely contaminate nearby water bodies,” he cautioned.
Desai further criticised the lack of oversight. “It’s clear no government agency is monitoring the site. Where is the IDC Field Manager? Isn’t it his responsibility to ensure the situation is reported and acted upon promptly?”
He also cited findings from the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Nagpur, confirming the hazardous nature of the waste. “The government cannot delay. Immediate containment is essential to avoid lasting damage to the environment and local ecology before the waste is transported,” Desai stressed.
The hazardous zinc waste has been lying at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate for the last 18 years since it was left behind in the year 2007-08. Successive governments had handed out promises to remove the waste from Cuncolim IDC, but in vain.
After the Nagpur-based agency NEERI confirmed that the waste lying at Cuncolim IDC is hazardous in nature, the GSPCB had written to the department of Science, Technology and Waste Management to transport the Cuncolim hazardous waste to the Pissurlem landfill site.
