Councillors call for joint inspection, cite water bodies polluted
The hazardous zinc waste which was finally covered by the GSPCB appointed contractor at the Cuncolim IDC.
MARGAO
Cuncolkars are on the war path again over the government’s failure to cart away the hazardous zinc waste from the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, with Cuncolim Municipal councillors warning of an agitation, including a shutdown if the waste is not transported away forthwith.
The Cuncolim Municipal Council special meeting chaired by Chairperson Landry Mascarenhas called to discuss monsoon preparedness saw the issue of the hazardous waste left behind at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate by Ms Sunrise Zinc taking centre stage.
Cutting across party affiliations, councillors in one voice demanded a joint inspection of the waste dump on priority, pointing out that the hazardous waste has left the water bodies including drinking water wells and rivulets polluted and contaminated.
Later briefing the media, BJP-backed councillor and local BJP leader Vishal Desai warned of a shutdown in Cuncolim if the hazardous waste is not carted away from the Cuncolim IDC. He also demanded free drinking water supply to the people of Cuncolim, saying the people are forced to totally depend on tap water with the drinking water wells polluted by the industrial pollution. “Cuncolkars will be forced to shut down the town if pollution does not stop immediately. We want an urgent inspection of the hazardous waste dump with officials of the Goa State Pollution Control Board and IDC. We will be forced to shut down the town if urgent measures are not taken to curb pollution,” he said.
A ruling councillor Mariano Soares said the people of Cuncolim will be forced to take to the streets to protest against pollution at the Cuncolim IDC. “We want the hazardous waste left behind by Sunrise Zinc around 15 years ago at the IDC to be carted away immediately. The wells of the people have been devastated by pollution. We will be forced to take to the streets if the government does not listen to the voice of Cuncolkars,” Mariano warned.
Chairperson Landry Mascarenhas said the Council had taken a resolution at one of the previous meetings demanding an end to pollution at the Cuncolim IDC. “Today, the Council has adopted a resolution demanding a joint inspection and to transport the hazardous waste from the IDC. Our wells have been contaminated by the pollution. The patience of the people is running out,” Landry said.
War Memorial tribute in Delhi meaningless, if waste not cleared, says activist
MARGAO: Social activist from Cuncolim Aviraj Desai has on Friday asserted that the government should stop according the Guard of Honour to the Chieftains of Cuncolim at the War Memorial, New Delhi, if it cannot cart away the hazardous zinc waste from the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
Speaking to the media, Desai, who has been waging a sustained battle against the industrial pollution, pointed out that the Guard of Honour is given to the Chieftains who were assassinated by the Portuguese in the 1583 Cuncolim revolt. “Cuncolkars had appreciated the government’s gesture to honour our Chieftains at the War Memorial, New Delhi. But, if the government cannot remove the hazardous waste from the Cuncolim IDC, the government may even stop giving the Guard of Honour to our ancestors,” Desai said, while demanding immediate removal of the hazardous waste.
