Civic body seeks comprehensive GSPCB inspection of polluting industries, stands firm against fish meal plant
Citizens have raised concerns over air and water contamination linked to Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
MARGAO
The Cuncolim Municipal Council has knocked on the doors of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) with a plea to conduct a comprehensive site inspection of all existing pollution-causing industrial units at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
Cuncolim Municipal Chief Officer, Vimod Dalal, addressed a letter to the Member Secretary, GSPCB, on the issue following the resolutions adopted by the Cuncolim civic body at a special meeting held on September 9, wherein the Council had deliberated upon the issue of pollution caused by several industrial units operating within the Cuncolim Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) area.
“The Council, after due discussion, has unanimously resolved to request the Goa State Pollution Control Board to conduct a comprehensive site inspection of all existing pollution-causing industrial units in Cuncolim IDC so as to ascertain compliance with environmental norms and to take appropriate action as deemed necessary,” the letter stated.
The CMC Chief Officer has requested the GSPCB Member Secretary to take cognisance of the matter and initiate the required inspection at the earliest in the larger interest of public health and environmental protection.
The special meeting of the Cuncolim Municipal Council chaired by civic chief Landry Mascarenhas was primarily called with the sole agenda to discuss and deliberate on the application received from Goan Marine Impex Pvt Ltd seeking NOC to set up a shed for a fish meal plant.
While rejecting the NOC sought by the company to set up a shed for the proposed fish meal plant, the Council had further resolved that representation be sent to the GSPCB requesting them to conduct a comprehensive site inspection of all existing pollution-causing industrial units in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate and to take necessary regulatory action against any units found violating environmental norms, including fish meal plants.
GSPCB’s take on CMC resolution
GSPCB officials told 'The Goan' that the recent order issued upon instructions of newly appointed GSPCB Chairman Levinson Martins will take care of the request made by the Cuncolim Municipal Council to conduct a comprehensive site inspection of all existing pollution-causing industrial units in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
A GSPCB official pointed out that upon instructions issued by the Board Chairman, the GSPCB had last week put an SOP in place to conduct routine inspections of all red category units and orange category units located at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate and Verna Industrial Estate.
In fact, the board has constituted a team for the Cuncolim Industrial Estate to verify the effective compliance by the concerned units with the conditions as stipulated in the respective consent to operate orders issued to them by the GSPCB under the Water Act, pertaining to the treatment and discharge of sewage and effluent generated by them during their operation, including the operation of the Effluent Treatment Plants and Sewage Treatment Plants installed by the units.
“Request made by the CMC is not a big issue since under the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, the Board is mandated to prevent and control environmental pollution caused by discharge of sewage and effluents, besides emission of air pollutants,” the official added.
Resolutions adopted by CMC on Sept 9
The Council unanimously rejected Goan Marine Impex Pvt Ltd’s request for an NOC to set up a fish meal plant, citing health and environmental concerns.
It resolved to return the approved plan to the Town and Country Planning Department for clarification on the approach road, urged the Goa-IPB to revoke its in-principle approval, and asked the GSPCB to inspect all pollution-causing industrial units in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate and act against violators.
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10-metre road at fish meal site sparks citizen outcry
MARGAO: Construction of a 10-metre-wide road in the property of the proposed fish meal plant at Cuncolim has come under the scanner of citizens and social activists.
Pointing out that this is the first time they have come across a 10-metre-wide road in the Cuncolim Municipal area, citizens have demanded to know how the road has escaped the attention of the municipal authorities to date.
Former CMC Vice-Chairperson Shashank Desai, along with activist Aviraj Desai and others, descended on the road in question only to wonder how a 10-metre-wide road has come into existence for the first time in the Municipal area. He has further demanded to know who has built the road in question and whether the Municipal Council was aware of the construction.
Activist Aviraj Desai questioned why the Cuncolim Municipal Council is silent in exposing the names of the directors of Goan Marine Impex Pvt Ltd, who have proposed the fish meal plant outside the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
Sounding a warning to take the issue to the entire Cuncolim, Desai said the people of Cuncolim will agitate on the streets if the fish meal plant proposal is not rejected forthwith. “Even Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is aware of the proposed fish meal plant and the people involved in pushing the plant,” he added.
When 'The Goan' contacted CMC officials to shed light on the road in question, an official informed that the civic body has no role to play since the road is built inside the property of the owner. In fact, the official said the matter falls in the domain of the Deputy Collector, Mamlatdar and Talathi under the provisions of the Land Revenue Code.
