TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: In a major relief to over 3,000 small and micro enterprises, which were on the verge of receiving closure notices for operating illegally, the Goa State
Pollution Control Board has now given the owners time till December 31 to apply for Consent to Operate under Water and Air Acts.
This was done on the consideration that they are mostly small scale and micro enterprises. The Board has also proposed to extend the waiver of backlog fees and late fees for all such units which include flour mills, bakeries, restaurants and fabrication units.
In June 2013, the National Green Tribunal had directed the Board to close down all units – industries, hotels, restaurants and other micro units which were operating without the Consent to Operate. Accordingly show-cause notices were issued to around 4,000 units, but only 700 units applied for Consent till December 31, 2013, the deadline set by the Board.
However, at its Wednesday afternoon meeting, the Board, considering that the industries that defaulted were all small scale and micro enterprises, extended time till December 31, 2014 to the units to apply for consent.
GSPCB chairman Jose Manual Noronha said that the Board has proposed to extend the waiver of backlog fees and late fees for all such units which apply for consent by December 31. “The extension was granted after it was observed that the units are basically small and micro enterprises. In many cases it is also difficult to locate these units,” he said. The proposal would be moved to Department of Environment for issue of notification in this regard.
Noronha said that the Board on the perusal of records observed that the units have ignored the show-cause notice issued to them and failed to obtain Consent, and continuing to operate in violation of provisions of Water and Air Acts.
The units are spread across all talukas with highest number in Salcete followed by Bardez, Ponda, Tiswadi, Pernem and others.
