GSPCB says tenders being verified
PANJIM, AUG 11
The impact of various industrial units operating at the Verna and Kundaim industrial estates will be brought out in environment impact assessment (EIA) studies to be conducted at both these locations.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) recently opened the tenders and is in the process of verifying the same for their technical viability before opening the financial bids to award these EIA projects.
Chairman Goa State Pollution Control Board Simon D’Souza said one of the major reasons for carrying out these assessments at these major industrial estates was prompted after complaints from neighbouring villages in Verna of major ground water depletion and contamination of wells.
D’Souza said in this scenario it was better to know the damage done to the environment at these places. “In the absence of no water supply from the Public Works Department many of the units have gone ahead and dug bore wells in violation of law,” he mentioned.
He said gradually EIAs will be conducted at industrial estates which have many units operating inside. There are around 20 industrial estates in the State.
The GSPCB Chairman informed the EIA for Pilerne Industrial Estate being conducted by Sadekar Enviro Engineers Pvt Ltd was nearing completion and soon the Board will get a report from the company. The industrial estate was in the news in July after neighbouring villagers bitterly complained of pollution from Berger Paints.
D’Souza said Berger Paints was allowed to start operations after remaining closed for around two weeks.
The company has showed compliance after the Board issued a show-cause notice to the management, he stated.
Meanwhile, the chairman informed after verifying the technical bids for installing seven stations for checking ambient air quality the Board has opened the financial bids.
These stations will check pollution caused by mining transportation at seven crucial locations namely Curchorem municipal area, Usgao-Pale junction, Codli Tisk, Honda junction, Bicholim town, Amona and Assonora junction.
