TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Even as Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) is awaiting water sample reports on the contamination of water bodies at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, fish processing units have urged the government to set up a common Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) at the estate to take care of waste water.
In fact, leading fish exporter M Ibrahim of Quality Exports said the fish processing industries located at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate had knocked the doors of the government to sanction a common ETP, but in vain. Ibrahim said the fish processing industries are even willing to chip in funds towards the setting up of the ETP. “A common ETP would cost the exchequer around Rs three crore. The state-of-the-art ETP would not only help treatment of water, but the government would save huge costs as the recycled water can be used by the steel units and for gardening,” he said.
Referring to the inspection of Quality Exports conducted by Goa State Pollution Control Board officials in view of reports of contamination of an abandoned stone quarry, Ibrahim said there’s a misconception that his unit is a fish meal plant, adding that it is only involved in exporting the fish after receiving the consignment in the factory.
After Herald highlighted that an abandoned stone quarry is filled with black coloured water, emitting foul odour, the Goa State Pollution Control Board this week issued strict directions to the fish processing units to operate their effluent treatment plants and to deposit a Rs one lakh bank guarantee, which will be forfeited, if surprise raids carried out by the GSPCB proves discharge of untreated water in the open.
