VASCO
Congress leader Elvis Gomes on Friday said the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has taken cognisance of his request for intervention to the severe crisis of groundwater pollution faced by the people of Matvem in Chicalim Panchayat.
In a press release, Gomes said the CPCB chairman has assigned the Water Quality Management Division, Divisional Head P K Mishra (Scientist 'F') and Vishal Gandhi, Scientist 'E' to take action in the matter.
"The division deals with Water Quality Assessment and Monitoring which in particular includes Water Quality Monitoring of rivers, lakes, groundwater and coastal waters, setting up of Real-Time Water Quality Monitoring Stations and Water Quality Restoration Plan,” stated the press note.
Gomes said in the initial days of the incident, he had visited the affected site and had castigated the State government for its failure to respond to the disaster situation.
"I had later drawn the attention of the National Disaster Management Authority by pointing out that oil being an explosive and inflammable substance, had caused "pollution" by altering the properties of groundwater. I had also said that State Pollution Control Board should have acted under the Water Act, 1974 and Rules of 1975 as the presence of oil in groundwater was injurious to the environment and public health,” said Gomes.
“I finally drew the attention of the CPCB to this disaster knowing that they have the expertise to plan out ‘water quality restoration’. I also impressed upon them for a safety audit of the entire pipeline as a preventive measure to avoid possible future mishaps.”
“Seeing the quick response, I am optimistic that some measures to work out suitable compensation to the affected would also be taken up under the universal principle of ‘Polluter Pays’.”
He claimed that though state authorities were trivialising such a serious matter, it was the right of the affected to obtain such reliefs as are prescribed under law.
