MARGAO
After the burning issue of pollution at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate took the centrestage at the just concluded session of the Goa Legislative Assembly, Cuncolkars may have a simple question to ask “ will Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira come out with a solution to put an end to the air and water pollution, besides the foul odour emanating from the fish meal plants at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate?
People of Cuncolim recall that former Environment Minister, late Dr Wilfred De Sa had even paid a visit to the Cuncolim Industrial Estate over two decades ago for an on the spot inspection of the pollution units, including the new defunct Sunrise Zinc factory at the Industrial Estate.
Sadly, locals say there’s no end to pollution at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate with the issue being aggravated with the setting up of the fish meal and fish processing plants at the Industrial Estate in the last one decade.
Information submitted on the Floor of the House has revealed that individual citizens and organisations had lodged as many as 19 complaints in the last five years, the last complaint being that of Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, indicating that the pollution issue is far from over.
Documents revealed that both individuals, including former MLA Clafacio Dias and local organisations had lodged their complaints and representations to the authorities including the Goa State Pollution Control Board to put an end to pollution and to stop plants to set up more fish meal plants at the Cuncolim IDC.
Around 2018, Cuncolkars had hit the streets to oppose and object to the second fish meal plant proposed at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate on grounds that the existing plant has turned out to be a pollutant. Sadly, while the second fish meal plant did not see light of the day, thanks to the agitation by the citizens, questions are being raised why the existing fish meal plant has not been shut down till date if such plants are highly polluting.
Incidentally, while the government has given the sanction to dispose of the hazardous waste left behind at the IDC by Sunrise Zinc, questions are being raised whether the GSPCB will get rid of the decade and half year old dump before the coming monsoons or will have cap the same again during the monsoons to prevent contamination of the underground water resources and adjoining water bodies.
