MARGAO
The whip cracked by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) against the three hotels/cafe, including a bar on Tuesday, saw a couple of cafes pulling down shutters to avoid sealing by the Board.
No sooner officials of the South Goa Collectorate executed the GSPCB orders by sealing the three establishments including a hotel/cafe, restaurant and a bar, a couple of hotels/cafes shut down their shutters to escape similar action.
For, the GSPCB had issued notices to around 19 establishments operating in the commercial capital, which were either discharging their waste and kitchen water in the storm water drains or did not possess the Board’s consent to operate.
Action questioned
As the authorities went about the sealing of the hotels/cafes in the commercial capital, the action was questioned by the establishments on grounds that the GSPCB did not take the decision to seal the establishments at the Board meeting.
In fact, sources contested the order to seal the establishments on the ground that action to seal the premises should be cleared by the Pollution Control Board and not just by the Member Secretary.
Sources told The Goan that a group of persons approached high ranking South Goa district Collectorate officials with a copy of the March 21, 2024 order wherein the High Court had set aside and quashed the action initiated by the GSPCB on the plea that the action was not authorized by the Board.
Collectorate officials, however, advised the parties to directly approach the GSPCB, pointing out that the Collectorate is only executing the orders issued by the GSPCB.
