TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: A month after the Collector sealed two plots of The Axis at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, the Goa State Pollution Control Board has asked the District Collector to unseal one of the plots as per the order of the Administrative Tribunal.
The unsealing of L-3 plot at the industrial estate is likely to be carried out on Thursday as per the eight-day time frame set by the Administrative Tribunal.
It was on January 7 that the revenue authorities complied with GSPCB directions and sealed two plots, L-2 and L-3, vis-à-vis the handling of 25,000 tons of hazardous waste.
The Axis challenged the order in the Administrative Tribunal praying for removal of the seal in Plot L-3 since no hazardous waste is lying stored in the plot.
By order dated January 23, the Administrative Tribunal headed by President Ulhas B Pai Raikar observed that prima facie there appears to be waste in plot No 2 only and that the facts clearly establish prima facie non-existence of hazardous waste in plot No-3.
“Disposal of the issue by the GSPCB without giving proper opportunity to The Axis is arbitrary and is against the principle of natural justice. I find that no purpose of environmental protection will be served if the consent to establish in plot No 3 issued to The Axis is revoked and the plot is sealed,” Raikar observed.
Meanwhile, the GSPCB has decided to conduct an inspection of plot No L-2 in order to ascertain the short-term measures to be implemented by The Axis with regard to safe storage of the hazardous waste located at the site.
The GSPCB has further requested the Collector to ensure that upon removing the seal at plot no L-3 at the Industrial estate, none of the hazardous waste stored at plot No L-2 and L-3 at the Estate is permitted to be handled or moved out of the premises.
