MAPUSA
In a significant development aimed at curbing environmental violations, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has ordered the Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) to immediately halt all dumping of waste at the Assagao plateau, a move that signals growing regulatory pressure on civic authorities to enforce sustainable waste management practices.
The directive, issued by outgoing GSPCB Chairman Mahesh Patil on April 1, comes after repeated violations by MMC despite earlier warnings and inspections.
The Board has also called for a joint site inspection involving all relevant stakeholders to assess the current condition of the plateau and evaluate any remediation work carried out so far. The inspection must be completed within seven days of the order.
Non-compliance triggers regulatory action
The situation has been building over the past year. In 2023, the GSPCB conducted an on-site inspection of the Assagao dumping grounds in the presence of officials from the Assagao comunidade and Mapusa civic authorities.
The inspection revealed unauthorised and indiscriminate dumping of mixed waste on comunidade land.
The Board subsequently directed MMC to stop the activity and initiate corrective measures. However, these directives were largely ignored.
In response to the municipality’s continued non-compliance, the GSPCB issued a formal notice to MMC, demanding an explanation for the continued dumping and a halt to all waste disposal at the site. The municipality failed to respond adequately to the notice, prompting the Board to schedule a personal hearing.
The hearing brought together representatives from the Mapusa Municipal Council, the Goa Waste Management Corporation, and the Deputy Collector. After deliberating with all parties, GSPCB reiterated its concerns and issued fresh directives mandating an immediate cessation of dumping activity at the Assagao plateau.
Formal compliance demanded
In addition to halting waste disposal at Assagao, the GSPCB has directed MMC to obtain formal clearances to continue operations at its primary waste management site in Cunchelim.
These include consent to operate under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, as well as authorisation under the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
This legal requirement underscores a broader push by the Board to bring local waste management practices in line with national environmental standards, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas like Assagao, which has faced increasing pressure due to unregulated construction and tourism-related activity.
Mismanagement in focus
The Board has also raised specific concerns about the disposal of chicken waste generated within Mapusa’s municipal limits.
The latest order requires that such waste be handed over exclusively to authorised collectors and not dumped at the Assagao site, a practice reportedly ongoing despite clear guidelines against it.
In a further move to ensure accountability, the Assagao comunidade has been tasked with monitoring the plateau to detect any fresh instances of illegal dumping.
