TEAM HERALD
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
PANJIM: Goa State Pollution Control Board has issued notices to transporters of hazardous waste oils, which are generated from barges, cruise ships, off-shore casino vessels and other ships docking in Goa for failing to submit the annual details regarding collection and disposal of waste oil.
The notices have been served to 13 transporters under Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules 2008 asking ‘why the authorization (consent to operate) granted under said rules should not be revoked/withdrawn in view of non compliance of conditions.’
As per the Hazardous Waste Rules, used-oil transporters are required to submit the copy of the manifest and also file annual returns of the waste collected and disposed off by them. However, the transporters have failed to comply with this condition.
“In view of non-submission of the details regarding hazardous waste, it has become difficult for the Board to keep track and also maintain the records of hazardous generated and disposed in Goa,” the notice issued by GSPCB Chairman Jose Manual Noronha reads.
According to records, all transporters are from Mumbai.
Noronha said that in the absence of records, Board is not in a position to trace where exactly the waste has been taken and handled. “Many transporters claim that they are taking waste outside Goa for recycling but there is a possibility that they might be dumping it in the sea, resulting in tar-balls,” he said.
The issue of tar-balls had hit the State in 2010, after someone criminally dumped a shipload of waste oil into the Arabian Sea.
Noronha said that according to Rules, the transporters will now have to seek NOC from GSPCB along with the pollution board of the State, where they are dumping the oil.
Meanwhile, a notice has been issued to those who generate the waste oil such as ship owners, cruise owners, off-shore casino vessel operators, to ensure that the waste oil/sludge oil/ residue containing oil, is handed over to the recyclers/reprocessors established and operating their plants in the State of Goa and having valid consent to operate as requires under Water and Air Act and Authorization under Hazardous Waste Rules 2008.
There are total 29 generators of waste oil registered with GSPCB.
