TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Hotels, restaurants and industries from all over the state, especially along the coastal belt are in for trouble if consent under Water and Air Acts is not obtained, with the National Green Tribunal categorically saying that the Goa State Pollution Control Board does not have the power to exempt any activity, operation or process.
The Green Tribunal has also passed an order directing that the pollution control board close down all such activities that are operating without the consent of the board.
Around 2000 notices have been sent till date, with the board beginning the exercise late February. However, only some 200 to 300 applications have come in till date and businesses along the Calangute belt have been slow in applying for consent, sources indicated.
Instead of asking the industry to comply with the directives, given that garbage and sewage is a major problem along the coastal belt and hazardous waste is a serious problem in many industrial estates, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar wanted the Centre’s help in finding a solution.
According to statistics, there are 2,651 hotels under various categories with a total capacity of 25,163 rooms in the state, but only 324 are registered with the board. There are also another 2,000 plus industries operating without consent.
The board has issued these show-cause notices under section 33 (a) read with section 25/26 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and section 31(A) read with section 21 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. According to the notices, hotels and industries were required to show-cause within 15 days from the date of receipt of the notice, as to why action under the Acts should not be initiated against violators for operating units without obtaining consent to operate, thereby causing air and water pollution in the area, adding that failure to reply to the notice would compel the board to issue suspension or closure directions to the unit without further notice.
The consent is to be obtained for treatment of waste water and air emissions.
In a desperate bid, as they have no choice and industry is being generally not very receptive, the Pollution Control Board itself has decided to depute officials to the Calangute Panchayat on July 25 to accept applications of units and assist them in completing all formalities. Officials will be present at the Senior Citizens Hall, Bodcovod, Corba Vaddo, Calangute between 10.30 am to 5 pm.
The whole exercise began after the comptroller and auditor general of India (CAG) had pointed out that hotels and industrial units were operating without water and air consent causing a loss to the state exchequer. The NGT then directed the pollution control board to close down all such units and asked the board to file an action taken report in the matter.
