Sandu Pharmaceuticals Ltd issued show cause notice

TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: Goa State Pollution Control Board on Monday issued a show cause notice to M/s Sandu Pharmaceuticals Ltd, located at Pilerne Industrial Estate for causing water pollution in the vicinity. 

The notice issued under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, has directed the unit to reply within seven days failing which action for suspension or closure of the unit would be taken.  

The unit has been operating without Consent to Operate under Water Act, GSPCB chairman Jose Manual Noronha said. 

“M/s Sandu Pharmaceuticals Ltd is hereby directed to show cause within a period of seven days from the date of receipt of this notice as to why your  applications as submitted for grant of renewal of Consent to Operate your unit, under the provisions of the Water Act, should not be refused/rejected by the Board and further as to why your unit should not be directed to suspend/close its operation for operating in a manner that is causing water pollution in the vicinity,” the notice issued by GSPCB member secretary Levinson Martins reads.

“Failure to satisfactorily reply to this show Cause Notice will compel the Board to initiate stringent legal action against you under the provisions of the Water Act, which may include issue of directions for suspension/closure of your unit, without any further notice,” it added.

Noronha said, that following a complaint from Saipem villagers, Anti-Pollution Front, that industrial units are discharging waste into the storm water drain thereby polluting the dams and ponds; a site inspection was carried out last month and water samples were also collected. Chairman said that the chemical oxygen and biochemical oxygen demand, suspended solids and oil and grease in respect of final treated water sample of the Effluent Treatment Plant, exceeds the permissible limit. It was also found that the ETP was not working, resulting in water pollution.