Team Herald
PANJIM: After almost two years, the path appears to be clear for setting up the State’s first Common Hazardous Waste Treatment Storage Facility (CHWTSDF) at Pissurlem industrial estate.
The Union Ministry for Environment and Forest (MoEF) Expert Appraisal Committee at its recent meeting recommended granting environmental clearance (EC) to the project, which focuses on secured landfill and incineration of hazardous waste.
The Expert Appraisal Committee (INFRA-2) for projects related to ship building, hazardous waste treatment facilities has given the green signal to the project to be set up by SMS Envocare Limited by laying down several conditions including carrying out ambient air quality monitoring.
“The hazardous waste generated by industries has to be collected, transported, treated and disposed in a properly designed CHWTSDF facility,” the government proposal placed before the Committee, states.
The State said that in the absence of a CHWTSDF in Goa, industries have to send their incinerable waste to CHWTSDF, Taloja at Maharashtra which creates a risk to people during transportation of the hazardous waste and landfillable waste is stored within their premises due to unscientific storage facilities.
The committee has asked the project proponent to develop at least a 10 meter thick greenbelt in the periphery of hazardous waste facility.
