TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute’s Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the solid waste management facility (SWMF) at Saligao plateau, claims it will improve health and lifestyle due to scientific disposal of municipal solid waste. The report also underlined that the garbage which otherwise is being dumped unscientifically creating unhygienic conditions is a vector for various diseases. The facility will handle 100 tons of garbage per day.
Based on NEERI’s EIA report, which is currently being contested before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) had granted environment clearance (EC) to the project in March, this year, which will expire in March 2020.
The EIA report, submitted on February 28 to SEIAA, does not predict any significant negative impact due to the establishment of this facility, but says that the quality of the soil which is presently degraded will be restored upon remediation/treatment and disposal of the existing waste dumped at the site and that upon commissioning of the facility there will be aesthetic improvement of the surrounding area.
“Salmona Spring water quality will improve due to the proper scientific management of solid waste and also the treatment of the existing old dumped un-segregated solid waste at the site,” the EIA report claims. It may be recalled that locals were worried about the spring and had agitated, protesting the alleged destruction of the spring.
NEERI said that a holistic approach has been followed while planning the integrated Municipal Solid Waste treatment facility in North Goa and the proposed facility will be a state-of-the-art facility based on mechanical-biological treatment process, with proper segregation and bio-methanation technology and the said technology selected is as per the requirement of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Rules, 2000 and in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board.
“It is prudent to establish a solid waste management facility on a land/site which has degraded due to dumping of waste or immediately adjacent to the said site rather than selecting a green field site for establishment of the same,” EIA report said.
While granting the EC, the SEIAA has directed the Department of Science and Technology, the project proponent (PP), to prioritize the issues related to health and hygiene in complying with the matters related to waste disposal and treatment, air and water pollution and waste-water management.
SEIAA has also said that project proponent should not disturb the natural drainage and possibly maintain the original topography, while allowing for landscape development by planting local terrain specific plants.
