MARGAO: In a strong message to polluting industries, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) served show cause notices and issued directions to six companies in Cuncolim on Wednesday.
While the GSPCB had recently inspected the Cuncolim industrial estate and its units, the findings of its September 15 inspection and prior inspections were attached. The directions were issued under Section 31(A) of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and Section 33 (A) of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
With the exception of John Distilleries, which was asked to submit a compliance report within two weeks, the remaining five fish meal plants were asked to submit a compliance report in seven days. These five companies – Quality Exports, Quality Foods, Sagar Food, Indo Tech and United Marine – were also issued notices asking why their consent to operate (CTO) should not be revoked based on the inspection reports that their units were operating in violation of the conditions of their respective CTO orders.
This move will come as a boost to the locals, who have been protesting for years against the units, especially the fish meal plants.
One of the directions to the six companies was to submit details of their total production, water consumption and water treatment (ETP) log book from August to October 2015. All five fish meal plants have been asked to stop washing their trucks along the internal roads and outside the unit premises within the Cuncolim IDC.
United Marines, which received the harshest directions and also the most detailed inspection report, has been asked to submit the details of the modifications carried out in the plant. It was also asked to appoint an independent consultant (chemical/process engineering) to check out the process engineering of the plant, especially the design and efficiency of the odour control equipment installed by the unit.
It was also directed to provide the details of transportation/route/timings of the container trucks carrying waste fish to the plant and details of uploading waste, cleaning the container trucks and disposal of wastewater within the factory premises.
