Team Herald
PANJIM: With the Directorate of Environment refusing to conduct the carrying capacity of rivers, Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has decided that the project proponents for marinas along with Tamil Nadu-based Annamalai University and Goa’s BITS Pilani will jointly conduct the scientific study of the proposed project sites, to ascertain the impact on the environment and marine life. The study has to be conducted before the project proponents apply for Consent to Operate for the projects.
At the Board meeting on Thursday, it was placed before the Directorate of Environment who has informed that it cannot undertake the study to assess the river capacity, and requested GSPCB to take up such study under Section 17 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
“Accordingly, the Board decided that the project promoters should get the study done along with Annamalai University and BITS Pilani,” GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said.
“The study has to ascertain the impact of the marinas on the environment in and around the area. It has to also produce data on its impact on marine life,” Noronha said, adding that the study will have to be placed before the next Board meeting.
Two marina projects worth Rs 700 crore at Sancoale by Yacht Haven Goa Marina and at Nauxi by Kargwal Marina were approved by the Investment Promotion Board, last year. However, GSPCB refused to grant Consent to Operate to both projects pending a carrying capacity study of all the rivers.
Noronha said that the project proponents have already conducted Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environment Impact Management Plan (EIMP).
The projects were opposed by the Goa Biodiversity Board (GBB), claiming they would impact marine life.
GSPCB on Thursday sought more details about the projects which are opposed by local fishermen.
The State government has been supporting the marinas and Environment Minister Rajendra Arlekar had recently said marinas are like taxi stands, where ships are parked and so will not impact the fishing community.
