l Utter ‘slag’-ness- Minister Alina’s orders to clear slag ignored by GPSCB l Slag stored in huge pit outside the Industrial estate l Pollution Control Board Chairman sent inspection team after Herald drew his attention
GUILHERME ALMEIDA
When Environment Minister Alina Saldanha inspected the Cuncolim Industrial Estate with Goa State Pollution Control Board officials a couple of months ago, she was shocked and surprised to find mounds of industrial slag stacked across the industrial estate.
A visibly agitated Alina issued strict instructions to the GSPCB officials to get the slag samples tested and the slag cleared from the industrial estate. Sadly, the ground reality has not changed for the better. In fact, industrial slag – which was till date confined to the industrial estate – has now found its way outside the industrial estate limits in a private property bordering the estate.
Industrial slag generated inside the estate stored in huge pit dug outside the industrial estate, close to the Cuncolim Municipal garbage treatment plant. Herald asks if industrial slag can find its way anywhere and everywhere without permissions from statutory authorities such as the Goa State Pollution Control Board.
When Herald drew attention of GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha of the slag dumped outside the industrial estate limits, he dispatched his team of officials on Monday evening for first-hand information about the activity. Noronha later confirmed to Herald that the industrial slag was indeed found dumped outside the industrial estate without GSPCB permission. “My officials have collected samples of the slag for testing. It will be analysed to ascertain the content so that the leachate does not percolate down and contaminate the ground water. One thing is clear, that no prior permission was obtained from the Pollution Board to dump the slag outside the estate”, Noronha asserted.
The development has triggered outrage amongst activists and citizens alike as they demanded to know how the slag has landed in a property outside the IDC jurisdiction. A citizen Rolence Coutinho said the GSPCB should come out clear on the slag and take the erring units to task.
Activist Ronny Dias demanded to know whether the Goa State Pollution Control Board was aware of this waste disposal, or, whether the Board was pretending that everything was fine at the Cuncolim Industrial estate. “Who has issued the permissions to the industry to dump this waste outside the estate? Is the industry quietly trying to bury the waste? How many studies and tests have been done on the surface and ground water, the ground, air, health of the villagers etc”, he demanded to know.
Incidentally, when Herald had brought the matter to the notice of CMC chairperson Devendra Desai, he inspected the site last week, only to find the slag dumped beyond the Industrial estate jurisdiction. The situation remains unchanged till date.
Dias has now sought to know from the CMC chairperson why the civic body has remained a silent spectator when it has a garbage treatment plant exactly in the same area.
“Is the CMC really interested in the well-being of the village and the villagers? Will the chairperson again shun off responsibility and say again that it is dumped in a private property when the health of village people is at stake”, he asked.
Social activist Oscar Martins has demanded a thorough probe by the GSPCB and other authorities. “The authorities may say that slag is non-polluting, but they should answer whether it can be dumped anywhere and everywhere without permissions”, he added.
