TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has issued show cause notices to two of the State’s leading pharmaceutical manufacturing units at Kundaim industrial estate for creating air and water pollution in the vicinity.
The M/s Procter and Gamble Hygiene and Healthcare Ltd and M/s Zydus Cadila Ltd have been issued noticed for non operational of sewage treatment plant (STP) and effluent treatment plant (ETP) of their units leading to pollution in the area.
The notices issued under Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act 1974 and Air (prevention and control of 1981 pollution) Act has warned of suspension or closure of the functioning of the pharmaceutical units if they failed to reply within 15 days.
“The unit is hereby directed to show cause within 15 days as to why action under the Water Act and Air Act should not be initiated against the unit for not satisfactory operating the treatment facility,” the notice issued by GSPCB member secretary Levinson Martins says.
The units have been directed to deposit a bank guarantee of Rs five lakh each for ensuring that the treatment plants are operated satisfactorily.
GSPC Chairman Jose Manual Noronha said that following complaints of pollution, inspection of both the units were carried out where it was observed that in both the cases, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the treated water had exceeded the permissible limit.
The treatment facilities were not operational as per the standard prescribed in the Consent to Operate, thereby violating the conditions, he said.
