The team also inspected the units which have been accused of discharging sludge and contaminated water in the paddy fields. Water samples were collected by the GSCPB team to ascertain the extent of contamination of the water bodies and fields.
GSPCB official Digvijai Desai who inspected the illegal scrap yards along with Board official Nikhil Caeiro told Herald that a report of the inspection will be compiled and forwarded to the Board for action. “We have inspected the scrap yards as well as the units discharging pollutants in the paddy fields and water bodies. The report will be placed before the GSPCB for appropriate action, he said.
GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Norohna said the team was given a brief to inspect not just the yards, but a powder coating factory, which is coming up near a school in the village. “We are awaiting a report from our team to initiate further action against the illegal activities”, Norohna said.
Sao Jose de Areal sarpanch Julio Monteiro said the Panchayat had requested the GSPCBH to carry out the inspection as per the gram sabha resolution demanding immediate closure of the illegal scrap yards.
“The Panchayat has already completed a survey of the illegal scrap yards in the village. We have unearthed a total of 39 scrap yards and the Panchayat will pursue the issue with the authorities for their immediate removal”, Julio said.
A local villager Freddy Travasso called upon the government to bring about a parivartan in Sao Jose de Areal by closing down all the illegal scrap yards. Co-villager Peter Viegas echoed similar sentiments. “It’s time the government rid Sao Jose de Areal villager of the menace of scrap yards. We will launch a sustained agitation to get the scrap yards out of the village”, Peter warned.
