Team Herald
CANACONA: Acting on the complaint of Pradeep Mokhardkar, the Goa Pollution Control Board team comprising Nikhil Caerio and Mrs Luiza D’Silva inspected the site at Kulti plateau for pollution and no permissions from GSPCB as alleged by the residents of the area.
Some time ago the residents of Poinguinim had met the Canacona Deputy Collector Kedar Naik and presented a memorandum against illegalities and the resultant pollution.
The residents had complained that the contractor of the bypass from Mashem to Charrasta, M Venkata Rao Projects Pvt Ltd, is operating an RMC (ready mixed concrete) and Hot Mix plant on the eco-sensitive Kulti plateau causing pollution; that illegal hutments have sprung up on the plateau whose inhabitants defecate and bathe in the open.
They claimed that all these activities are causing immense dust, air and ground water pollution.
Dissatisfied with the outcome of the meeting and representation to the deputy collector, the residents had dashed off a letter to the GSPCB.
The team consisting of a Jr Environmental Engineer and field Assistant of GSPCB, Pranay Naik sanitary inspector of Primary Health Centre, and representatives of the villagers inspected the site. However, neither the sarpanch nor the secretary of the Poinguinim panchayat was present for the inspection, despite intimation by the GSPCB asking them to be present for the joint inspection.
When Herald inspected the entire site of M Venkata Rao Projects Pvt Ltd at Kulti, it was observed that there was open defecation being done at the site, there was no soak pit and the water from the kitchen was released in the open, there were no bathing facilities for the labourers.
When the GSPCB team was inspecting the place, the labourers were seen having bath in the open; all the water storage tanks were found open; there was rampant dust and air pollution in the area as evident from the dust settled on the trees in the surrounding; mangled iron rods were scattered in the area, huge piles of black metal and powder (muras) was seen at the location.
As the monsoon is around the corner this powder and the human waste will eventually flow down the plateau resulting in pollution of the water bodies downstream.
The plateau is itself an aquifer for the people living below, who entirely depend on the water from the plateau for drinking and irrigation.
It may be recalled that the Canacona Health Centre had done an inspection on the recommendation of the deputy Collector and had given a clean chit that there is absolutely no pollution as alleged by the villagers.
but when Herald questioned about the above anomalies, the sanitary inspector who was part of the inspection team said when they had inspected, the area was clean, but the area looked polluted since long time.
The locals had complained in the representation to the GSPCB that the contractor doesn’t have any sort of approvals from pollution board. When Herald asked for the approvals, he company vice President Srinivas Rao said all papers are in the head office.
