The hazardous waste dump exposed to the elements at Cuncolim IDC.
MARGAO
As has become customary, every Assembly session in Goa witnesses questions on pollution at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, with the Opposition cornering the government and the Chair offering assurances to curb or eliminate pollution from the industrial hub.
The forthcoming Goa Legislative Assembly session, beginning on Monday, is unlikely to be any different. The Opposition is learnt to have submitted questions once again on the long-standing issue of air and water pollution at Cuncolim, particularly from fish meal plants and steel units operating in the estate.
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Toxic legacy
Adding to the list of unresolved concerns is the decade-and-a-half-old hazardous waste dump lying unattended behind the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. The issue has figured in almost every Assembly session over the past four years after it was raised by Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao, who represents Cuncolim constituency in the Goa Legislative Assembly.
During one of the sessions last year, the government had assured the House that transportation of the hazardous waste to the Pissurlem hazardous waste disposal facility would commence by October. However, not a single tonne of the waste — estimated at around 35,000 tonnes — has been transported so far, either by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) or the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC).
Hopes were briefly raised late last year after Levinson Martins took over as Chairman of the GSPCB. At its meeting in October 2025, the Board resolved to transfer Rs two crore from the “polluter pays” fund to the government to initiate the transportation of the hazardous waste.
However, the situation on the ground remains unchanged. Sources said the GWMC has since approached the government seeking additional funds, as the Rs two Crore allocated by the GSPCB is insufficient to cover the entire cost of the transportation exercise.
This development indicates that the long-awaited transportation of hazardous waste from the Cuncolim Industrial Estate may not begin this month either, raising serious questions over whether the entire operation can be completed before the onset of the monsoon.
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Concerns over fish meal plant
The fish meal plant issue remains another contentious subject repeatedly raised during Assembly sessions. The lone fish meal plant operating within the Cuncolim Industrial Estate has long been under citizens’ scrutiny over pollution concerns. Adding to the unease, a massive fish meal plant has now been proposed outside the limits of the estate after receiving clearance from the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board.
This has left Cuncolkars agitated, particularly as the Goa Investment Promotion Board had initially approved the project in Quepem before it was shifted to Cuncolim following objections and protests from local residents.
