GSPCB directs closure of Hotel Silver Sands
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, MARCH 19
Taking serious view of the refusal of Hotel Silver Sands Beach Resort, situated close to the Colva beach, to comply with its laid down provisions the Goa State Pollution Control Board on Friday issued directions to the unit to close operations until further orders.
The resort, a part of PG Holiday Inn Pvt Ltd, was found violating provisions of the Air and Water Acts and had never obtained “consent to operate” under these two laws. The 73-bedded resort has failed to apply to GSPCB for Hazardous Waste Authorisation as required under Hazardous Waste Rules.
Chairman Simon de Souza said a copy of the Board’s directions has been faxed to the Colva police to serve notice upon the management of the hotel and submit a service report to the Board. Similarly, copies of the directions have been faxed to the South Goa Collector and Chief Electrical Engineer to cut power supply of the resort.
De Souza said the hotel was operating a generator run on diesel but it had not come clear on where it was disposing the used oil. “The hotel is supposed to give the used oil for recycling to a registered recycler,” he informed and added, “In February we issued a show-cause notice sating why action should not be initiated against it for violating hazardous waste rules.”
Replying to the Board’s notice, the hotel stated it did not store waste oil in its premises and as such hazardous waste rules were not applicable to it. An inspection conducted by the Board, however, revealed the hotel required to obtain hazardous waste authorisation.
The inspection by the Board’s officials revealed in spite of bringing to the notice of the hotel its kitchen waster water flowing into a drain and which was found stagnating on a public road the same (see picture) was not cleared. Secondly, the hotel had not taken any steps to install a sewage treatment plant.
In February, the Goa Tourism Department had also complained stating that the soak pit and septic tank of the hotel were overflowing resulting in the free flow of effluents on the public road and into a government property.
