Pollution board inspects dump at Cuncolim

Margao: Officials of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), who were recently in Cuncolim to inspect the site where hazardous industrial waste was allegedly being dumped, just outside the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, had to face a barrage of questions from villagers who questioned the “efficiency” of the authorities in reining in the errant industries.

Sources said that GSPCB officials inspected the site following a complaint by Cuncolim MLA Clafasio Dias that hazardous waste from industries operating within the industrial estate was haphazardly being dumped right outside the industrial complex.

Kamlaksh Prabhugaonkar, a villager, pointed out that despite numerous inspections by GSPCB of the hazardous waste dumping site over the years, there has been no change in the situation. He said that villagers are being subjected to high amounts of pollution every day.

“The hazardous waste is being dumped in the open. With heavy rain, the waste flows into the surrounding areas. There is every possibility of it percolating into the ground, thereby contaminating water bodies and wells in the vicinity, thus posing a health hazard for the locals,” Prabhugaonkar said.