PANJIM: Goa State Pollution Control Board has issued strictures to the South Western Railway and M/s Agencia Comercial Maritima to control the dust pollution arising out of ore handling at the yard.
In an order issued on the last day of 2012, the chairman of the Board has directed that the iron ore cargo be evacuated with immediate effect but not later than January 7, 2013 so as to enable the Board to have baseline data. They have also been directed to transport the ore through trucks, by covering the ore, washing the tyres of trucks before they leave the yard and avoid overloading.
Among other instructions they have asked the South West Railway to provide tar/concrete at all locations within the railway yard where handling of ore and movement of trucks takes place and that cleaning, sweeping and washing should be done regularly. It has also ordered that the PWD should tar the shoulders of the public road on the Southern side of the Railway Station running parallel to the platform.
The Board issued the directions based on a Goa Foundation petition which prayed that the GSPCB consent issued to the parties should be withdrawn since ambient air quality was always violating permissible limits, especially since the ore brought from outside Goa was fine and dry, and created more dust pollution.
South Western Railway has already set up a sprinkler system, zinc sheets, barricades and planted trees along the border to prevent dust pollution. The Board has also promised to continue monitoring the ambient air quality twice a week.
