Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa is at the bottom of a list of States and Union Territories having sites contaminated by toxic and hazardous substances. The sites are identified in Goa are at Cuncolim industrial estate and at Dharbandora – the one already being remediated by Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
As per the report released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) 2020, Goa has one contaminated site while the other is an area where the environment is ‘probably’ contaminated.
The board has declared 112 sites across 21 States as ‘contaminated’ and 168 as ‘probable contaminated sites’ where more scientific assessments are to be taken up.
Speaking to Herald, GSPCB member secretary Shamila Monteiro said that the two sites identified are Sunrise Zinc Industries at Cuncolim industrial estate and Deccan Fines Chemicals at Dharbandora.
“The landfill site at Dharbandora is already been remediated and as per latest development, it is no more a probably contaminated site,” she said.
Monteiro, however, said that Sunrise Zinc landfill is yet to be remediated. The firm has generated thousands of tonnes of hazardous waste in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.
The Central Board said that the most of the
contaminated sites are created when industrial hazardous wastes are disposed by occupiers in unscientific manner or in violation of the rules prescribed.
It further said that contaminated sites often pose multi-faceted health and environmental problems.
“Dumping or spillage of hazardous wastes or chemicals would adversely impact/affect the surrounding environment, particularly soil, surface water and groundwater and as a result, people in impact zone are knowingly or unknowingly exposed to toxic substances,” it said.
Uttar Pradesh has the maximum 43 sites – probably contaminated (22) and contaminated sites (21), followed by Odisha with 32 sites that include 23 in the contaminated list.
While Goa is at the bottom, States like Andhra Pradesh, Assam and Himachal Pradesh are just above with four sites each.
