The Goa State Pollution Control Board has started a comprehensive study involving NIO scientists so that the situation of pollution can be assessed and the report for the necessary action required can be tabled. This is being done to ensure total control on pollution and to pinpoint who is doing what with relation to the issue. This is also being done to determine what activity is leading to pollution in the port town. According to member secretary of the GSPCB, Levinson Martins, the board has time till May to complete the assessment.
The board has completed an assessment of various activities occurring within and outside the port, including transportation of material by road and rail, construction inside the port, emission of smoke from rail engines, wind direction patterns etc and by the end of May, a comprehensive report would be submitted.
“As directed by the Forest and Environment Minister, Rajendra Arlekar on 2nd March 2016, the board kick started an actual assessment on the aspects leading to pollution and the comprehensive study is in its final stage. We have also ensured that there should be a continuous Air Ambient Monitoring system in place inside and outside the port. The board has set up 11 new systems and we have been taking details minute by minute,” Martins told Herald.
Meanwhile, the citizens of the port town have raised their suspicions over the review meeting which was to be held in the first week of April. The first meeting to discuss the issue of coal pollution was held on March 2nd and the same was chaired by Arlekar. Several directions were given to coal handlers and the minister had set a deadline of one month to curb pollution with a warning to coal handling companies of severe action if the pollution is not curtailed. Surprisingly, citizens were anxiously waiting for this meeting only to know the present status on pollution levels in Vasco. But now they feel that the warning by council and politicians is mere eyewash to fool them.
