TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Department of Science, Technology & Environment has directed the Excise, Transport, and Police Departments to ensure that no plastic bags of less than 40 micron “or not duly Marked and Labelled” enter Goa under section 5 of the Environment (protection) Act, 1986.
It also directed revenue officials, police and panchayat and municipality officials to ensure that the provisions of the the Goa Non Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act 1996 and the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 are complied with and “all concerned officials and municipal councils should carry out raids on regular basis and at regular intervals and submit Compliance report to Department of Science Technology and Environment on monthly basis, through the Goa State Pollution Control Board.”
The directions by Director Levinson Martins have been issued to Collectors, Deputy Collectors, Excise Inspectors, Police Sub-Inspectors and Panchayat Secretaries from Pernem, Bicholim, Satari, Ponda, Mormugao, Sanguem, Quepem, Canacona, Dharbandora, Bardez, Tiswadi and Salcete; All Chief Officers municipal Engineers, Sanitary Inspectors and Municipal Inspectors all Mamlatdars and Joint Mamlatdars.
According to the government , extensive use and indiscriminate disposal and littering of plastic carry bags and PET bottles has caused “severe adverse environmental impact involving aesthetic degradation, blocking of water ways, drainage channels, adverse health effects on humans and animals” and provisions under the relevant acts are not being followed.
“Whereas under Section 3 of the Environment (Protection) Act the Government is duty bound to take all such measures as it deems necessary and expedient for the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of environment and preventing, controlling and abating environmental pollution,” say the directions.
The government as far back as 2001 and 2002 had empowered officials to compound offences under the Goa Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act of 1996. However, plastic is being seen and is still a menace in the state.
