MARGAO: Even as the status of the hazardous waste at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate remains unchanged, the fate and the progress of the investigations carried out by the Cuncolim police remain unknown.
The Cuncolim police had in 2012 registered an FIR against the Directors of Ms Sunrise Zinc, The Axis and officials of the State Bank of India, Stressed Asset Management, Mumbai. Herald inquiries have revealed that the Cuncolim police are yet to file a chargesheet in the court.
When Herald contacted the investigation officer PSI Tukaram Chawan to throw light on the progress of the case, he said the police has sought certain clarifications from the Goa State Pollution Control Board on the hazardous waste left behind by Ms Sunrise Zinc. “The police had approached the Pollution Board in December, but has not received the replies despite reminders”, he said, adding “unless the Board receives the clarifications, the investigations will remain incomplete”.
In the questionnaire, the Cuncolim has sought information under section 91 of the Cr PC in respect of the copy of safety measures laid down by GSPCB vis-a-vis Ms Sunrise Zinc and the guidelines issued to the company at the time of commencement of production.
Questions such as the inspection authority; the time of interval of such inspections; copies of inspection report since the commencement of production; details of persons who had conducted inspections from time to time; water pollution report during the tenure of Ms Sunrise Zinc till date and the guidelines issued by the GSPCB to Ms Sunrise Zinc Ltd in case of sale or transfer of waste material.
