PANAJI
The National Green Tribunal has rejected as without substance an appeal filed by activist Kashinath Shetye against the permissions granted to MRF Ltd for the expansion of their factory at Usgao in Goa.
Shetye had filed a petition alleging that the MRF has expanded its operations causing rampant pollution after its initial construction in 1973 and in 2016, it purchased more land and though the aggrieved villagers approached the authorities, no action was taken.
He alleged that the unit is a ‘red’ category industry as it involves manufacturing of tyres but has been wrongly classified as an ‘orange’ category. Its raw material involves synthetic rubber, etc and the manufacturing process results in harmful gases and liquids. “The unit is also committing theft of river water. Waste water discharge from the unit is harmful for the water bodies, being acidic in nature. It has concentrations of Ammonia and Sulphate and that odour is also released in the production process,” he alleged.
However, in response, the State Pollution Control Board rebuffed such claims while filing counter claims that the unit has installed an effluent treatment plant and does not release untreated effluents into the river and that the air quality is within parameters.
“Their stand is that there is no violation of the Wetland Rules or Forest Law. The project is not within the buffer zone of any water body and is ‘ZLD’ project. It has been in operation and no pollution has ever been found. The expansion of the project will also not affect the river or any other wetland,” the NGT noted.
“In view of the detailed submissions extracted above and in absence of any material to show any violation of Wetland Rules, damage to any water body or evidence of violation of environmental norms, we do not find any ground to pass any further order,” the NGT said.
