MARGAO: The Margao Municipal Council (MMC) may appeal against the fine levied on them holding them responsible for the Sonsoddo fire and the resultant pollution. Invoking the Polluter pays principle and guidelines of the National Green Tribunal the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had fined the MMC Rs 1.2 crore after the Sonsoddo dump fire incident.
It may be recalled that the fire in May 2019 had triggered smoke which spread across villages of Curtorim and also in parts of Margao and Fatorda. The GSPCB has fined the MMC of Rs. 1.2 crore for the incident. The MMC had sent at least four letters to the GSPCB asking for a review of the said notice. The MMC, on Monday, discussed the way ahead in the matter as the time for payment has exhausted in the last week of February.
The Chairperson of MMC, Pooja Naik, said, “The MMC will get in touch with a lawyer who has expertise in the National Green Tribunal cases.”
The MMC claims that they have written repeated letters to the GSPCB asking for review of the notice but has not received replies from the authority. Some Councillors questioned why this matter wasn’t put before the council earlier.
“The MMC wrote to GSPCB in July, August and October but we received no reply on that,” said MMC chief Naik.
The Chairperson said that they will seek legal opinion if they should apply to NGT and then decide accordingly.
