MARGAO: Twenty-one days after the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) directed the district Collector, South to seal the two plots in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, the Deputy Collector, Margao sealed the premises on Monday morning.

The sealing exercise, which started at 8.45 in the morning was completed after a hour, but before the Administrative Tribunal could take up hearing of the application for stay filed by the Axis at 10.30 am.

MARGAO: The Goa State Pollution Control Board and Health officials on Thursday inspected waste water discharged in the fields at Colva on Thursday.

Following a complaint from activist Judith Almeida, Goa State Pollution Control Board and health officials descended at Colva and collected water samples from the fields and storm water drains. Almeida said that sewage waste is being discharged in the drains, which has now found its way in the fields, which then flows into the Colva creek.

SANGUEM: Villagers residing at Valkini Colony, Bomod and Dessai Waddo in Sanguem have bitterly complained about poor quality of drinking water supplied to the area.

“Dirt has accumulated in the storage tanks and we have made several complaints regarding the poor quality of water supply, but officials are yet to solve our problems,” stated a villager.

MARGAO: South Goa District Collector N D Agrawal on Tuesday said that teachers have a pivotal role to mould students and ensure a tobacco free society.

Speaking at the district level workshop on Tobacco Free Educational Institutions at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, Agrawal said teachers play an important role in grooming the students and help contain use of tobacco in educational institutions. “You have the responsibility to make the society tobacco free. I expect the teaching community to take time bound decisions which would make Goa Tobacco free”, Agrawal said in his inaugural address.

MARGAO: A day after directions were issued to the South Goa district Collector to seal the premises in plot Nos L-2 and L-3 in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, the Goa State pollution Control Board (GSPCB) is mulling criminal proceedings against the occupants for allegedly handling hazardous wastes dumped on the plots.

The GSPCB on Tuesday dispatched messengers to serve the directions to the District Collector and the IDC field officer to initiate action at the ground level to ensure a total stop to waste handling in the two plots.

MARGAO: In an interesting development over the handling of 25,000 tons of hazardous waste at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, the Goa State Pollution Control Board on Monday directed South Goa District Collector to seal the premises at Plot no L-2 and L-3 at the Industrial estate.

In an order issued on Monday evening, GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha revoked with immediate effect the Consent to Establish (NOC) ordered dated March 1, 2012 issued by the Board to Ms The Axis for the establishment of a unit to manufacture cement products at Plot No-3 at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.

MARGAO: The Cuncolim Municipal Council on Monday issued a show cause notice to a ferroalloy unit at the industrial estate for filling an excavated area allegedly with hazardous waste behind the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.

Chief Officer Shivaji Dessai issued the show cause notice following an inspection carried out of the area by the council headed by Chairperson Devendra Dessai along with Councillors this morning.

MARGAO: A surprise inspection conducted by a team of Goa State Pollution Control Board and IDC officials confirmed the worst fears as 25,000 tons of hazardous waste was found dumped haphazardly at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate.

The team also inspected the controversial fish meal plant and collected water samples for investigations. A visibly agitated GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha warned of prosecution of a representative of Ms Axis Ltd, even as he directed the company representatives to remain present in his office at 11.30 am on Monday for further action on the hazardous waste.

CORTALIM: Contrary to claims by Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) of minimal environment impact on its expansion projects, the New Delhi-based Centre for Science & Environment has alleged several flaws in the MPT’s Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report.

CSE has highlighted the shortcomings in the EIA for the controversial 7.2 MMTPA Iron Ore Export Terminal West of Breakwater, in its technical analysis at the request of local activist Savio Correia.

MARGAO: Violations of parking norms with impunity figured prominently at the meeting of the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) on Tuesday, with members unanimously underlining the need for strict enforcement of parking rules.

The meeting rejected a couple of building project files for want of adequate parking. The builders will be asked to come out with a revised plan taking into account parking requirements. The meeting saw members calling for stringent implementation of parking rules in the commercial capital to create adequate space for parking. This follows the irregularities detected by a PDA team which inspected some of the building projects in the pipeline in Fatorda.