TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has issued directions to three municipal councils for treating waste by violating Environment Protection Act leading to pollution in the vicinities.
The directions were issued to Mormugao Municipal council, Mapusa Municipal Council and Sanquelim Municipal Council, have been issued under section 5 of the Environment (protection) Act 1986, read with Municipal Solid Waste (Management and handling) rules, 2000.
The civic bodies have been directed to stop dumping waste at the site, segregate waste into bio-degradable and non bio-degradable and to sell the recyclable waste and bale the non recyclable waste.
The municipal bodies are asked to comply with the directions within 15 days failing which the matter would be placed before the High Court, which is currently hearing a writ petition filed in 2007.
“Board during its inspection had observed that there is non-compliance of the municipal solid waste rules 2008, pertaining to collection, segregation, storage, transportation, scientific processing and disposal of solid waste which is attributed to environment pollution in the area,” GSPCB Chairman Jose Manual Noronha said.
The chairman said that the board conducted the inspections based on complaints of burning of waste in an open area, leading to pollution. Chairman pointed out that High Court through an order issued in August 2013 has given final opportunity to these municipal councils by granting one year time to complete the construction of landfills for the burial of the collected waste.
The councils are also asked to set up adequate composting facilities for organic or bio-degradable waste at the earliest.
