PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board has launched a special drive along the coastal belt to get shack operators to apply for Consent to Operate as mandated for operations, by the National Green Tribunal.
GSPCB has to submit a compliance report on the Consent to Operate granted to various small and micro enterprise units including shacks, to the NGT by February 14.
According to GSPCB officials, despite several reminders there has been poor response from shack operators to the board’s request, forcing them to launch a special drive from Friday along the North and South Goa coastal belts, to get shack operators to apply for Consent to Operate.
“We had received representation from the shack owners association that they be granted time to apply for consent. However, we cannot grant more time as we have to submit compliance report by next month,” chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said.
There are 370 shacks operating along the Goa coast, with a majority in Candolim (166) and Calangute (106). From January 16 to 18, the drive would be held in North Goa along Candolim-Calangute area, while on January 19 and 20, the drive would be held at Majorda and Betalbatim in South Goa.
Noronha said that as per NGT’s February 2013 order, the board has no authority to exempt any industry from obtaining Consent under the Water and Air Acts.
Since NGT has declared operation of all small and micro enterprise units without Consent to Operate as “illegal”, the board had issued show cause notices to 2343 industries and 2624 hotels to apply for consents. At the beginning of the tourism season last year, the board had initiated a special drive along the beach belts, making shacks and eatery operators, the need to have consent.
