SURAJ NANDREKAR
suraj@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: In a major raid, the Goa State Pollution Control Board has found at least three major food processing units at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate discharging untreated effluents in the bore wells.
A official said that following complaints by the locals of ground water contamination due to factories discharging untreated waste the Goa State Pollution Control Board conducted audit of fish meal and fish processing units in Cuncolim Industrial Estate on November 5 and 6.
The audit was conduct by independent experts – Prof R Jayashakila, Tamil Nadu Fisheries University, Prof Manjare, BITS Goa, Hemant Rane and Sanjay Amonkar Consultant with the help of new technology machine of Ground Penetration Radar (GPR).
The GSPCB team was led by Dr Shamila Monteiro and Sanjeev Joglekar.
During the audit ground penetration survey was also conducted to confirm the allegation made by the complainant that bore wells are dug to discharge untreated effluents from this units.
The three units raided were M/s United Marine, M/s Sagar Feeds and Food Processing Industries and M/s Indo Tech Ice and Cold Storage.
“The Ground Penetration Survey has indicated presence of bore wells in three food processing units,” the officials confirmed to Herald. They said some more factories are on the radar and will be raided in next few days.
After the audit by the experts on Nov 5 & 6, the GSPCB team conducted the inspection on November 13.
While Sagar Feeds and Indo Tech allowed the inspection. United Marine has approached High Court and got a stay, officials said.
Hence, United Marine did not allow digging of pavers etc.
As per panchanama, at Sagar feeds 3 bore wells were detected and samples of discharge has been collected while at Indo Tech there were six bore wells detected and samples collected.
Sources revealed that the bore wells have been dug below the pavers and camouflaged in different ways and only due to the latest technology machine GPR the locations were detected.
The board officials along with the Joint Mamlatdar are conducting inspection and investigation for detecting bore wells.
