Of the two instances that stand out this week. The first is the Board’s clear message to the Government and the Margao Municipal Council that the massive garbage dump at Sonsoddo, that is the bone of contention and source of constant flare ups between citizens and the council, has to be cleared by segregating and moving it away. While the debate on this can be far ranging, the GSBCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha, infused clarity by saying that we cannot afford to block so much land by capping the dump and allowing it to be there. While a clearance has been given for a landfill site for fresh waste, the Board’s view point with regard to the dump is contrary to what the MMC and the political establishment wanted. But the clarity was refreshing compared to the dithering on most of these issues.
In the second instance, the GSPCB has shown even greater teeth. It has kept on hold the much pushed marina project at the Sancoale Bay, a project backed by the influential Chowgules which has the full backing of the Chief Minister and the Investment Promotion Board. The significance of the GSPCB’s role in this project cannot be underlined enough. It had rejected the project proponent’s application for consent to establish the project largely based on the State Bio Diversity Board’s view that the project would harm the bio diversity of the Sancoale Bay. The project proponent then went to the Investment Promotion Board, expecting a quick in principle clearance. The expected happened. The eager to clear IPB did accord the in principle clearance, following which it was felt that the GSPCB would buckle and accord the consent to establish. The tone of the revised application of Yacht Haven Pvt Ltd, the project proponent indicated the irritation of the marina developers of being rejected earlier. Its letter of March 21, 2015 began with these lines “We are indeed surprised and disappointed to note that our Sancoale Bay Marina project has been rejected….”. It relied heavily on their MOEF approved consultants and their EIA studies. It even accused the GSPCB of taking the decision to reject their project “based on the misconception of perceived damage to the biodiversity”. They then disclosed that they sought the report of the Goa State Bio Diversity Board which had made adverse remarks on the impact the project would have on marine eco systems and responded to each of the points in the Bio Diversity Boards report.
While Yacht Haven was expecting the Pollution Control Board to immediately accord sanction, the Board in turn resolved to carry out a comprehensive study of the carrying capacity of all rivers and put on hold the Marina project.
This isn’t about whether the Marina project will harm the bio diversity of the area or not. This is a fresh reminder that there exists an institution called the Goa State Pollution Control Board, which is refreshingly working according to its mandate. In this case it prefers to be safe, rather than sorry.
Our environment bodies, and that includes the State Bio Diversity Board and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority, act as watch dogs, to scrutinize projects which harm Goa’s environment and act against by those who violate rules, post being accorded sanction to establish and then operate. When the GSPCB shows signs of looking into issues, pausing, getting studies done before taking any decision, especially on sensitive projects, there is hope.
These are silver linings but they shine brighter against the inky black environment of environment bodies being compliant to vested official interests rather than being vigilant for the sake of our environment.
