After the dengue outbreak around the Margao Industrial estate, the Goa State Pollution Control Board carried out an inspection and have now issued showcause notices to four units and forwarded the notice to the Salcete deputy collector for further action.
“The board had conducted inspection of these units on August 24 with regard to the matter pertaining to the nuisance and health hazard caused by the scrap yards located in the Margao Industrial estate,” said GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha.
The four units have been issued a showcause notice asking the management of these units to reply within 15 days as to why the operation of the unit should not be directed to be closed or sealed.
The notice also warned the units that failure on their part complies with the above mentioned directions which will compel the Board to initiate further legal action without any further notice.
In the notice to management of M/S Ram Ratan Trader regarding its unit at the estate, the board stated that during the course of the said inspection, oil spillage was observed and that the same was flowing into the drain along with monsoon runoff.
“Now therefore, in exercise of the powers vested with this board under section 25/26 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and under the Hazardous Waste Rules read with section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, the Management of M/S Ram Ratan Trader is hereby directed to show cause within a period of 15 days as to why the operation of their unit should not be directed to be closed/sealed for discharge of oil spillage into the drain and for not obtaining authorization under the hazardous waste rules,” read the notice.
The notice further stated that failure to comply with the directions, would force the board to initiate further legal action against them under the provisions of the Hazardous Waste Rules read with Environment Protection Act, 1986 and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act) 1974 without any further notice.
Similarly, In the case of the unit of Mr Izhar Khan, Menezesbhat, it was observed that waste medicines/medicine vials were seen dumped outside the shed. Under section 5 of the Environment Act, 1986, Mr Izhar Khan was directed to show cause within 15 days for handling of biomedical waste and was further directed to submit details about the source of the biomedical waste.
In the case of the unit namely M/S Ash Ashapuram, Phase 1, it was observed that the unit is handling plastic scrap and other scrap like CFLs and tubelights which contain mercury elements which are harmful to health and that the waste was not segregated and was kept in the open. The management of M/S Ashapuram was issued a notice under the E- Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 and under section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, for handling hazardous waste along with other scrap waste without obtaining authorization as per the provisions of E-Waste Rules and Hazardous Waste Rules.
The final unit namely M/s Rehana Packaging located at Shed A-2/7, Phase 1 that was issued a notice was also for the handling of hazardous waste along with other scrap waste. Thus its management was issued a notice under the Hazardous Waste Rules read with section 5 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, handling hazardous waste along with other scrap waste without obtaining authorisation as per provisions of Hazardous waste rules read with section 5 of Environment Protection Act, 1986.
