Pollution control board notice to 16 companies in Goa

Panaji: Sixteen companies in the state were today issued show cause notice by Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for failing to install pollution monitoring equipment despite several warnings. GSPCB member secretary Lavinsons Martin has issued showcause notices to all the 16 companies, asking them to reply within 15 days.

The companies that were issued notices include state`s only power generating plant, M/s Reliance Infrastructure Limited, tyre manufacturing company ? MRF, steel manufacturing units -- Goa Sponge and Power Limited, Shrithik Ispat, Sesa Goa Limited`s Pig Iron Plant, United Spirits Limited, United Breweries Limited, Shraddha Ispat Private Limited, Nicomet Industries Limited, Ambey Metallic Limited and Aparant Iron and Steel Private Limited, fertilizer manufacturing industry ? Zuari Industries Limited (ZIL) and pharma companies ? Syngenta India Limited and Merck (India) limited, and liquor firm ? John Distilleries and a state government run Sanjivani Sahakari Sakkar Karkhana Limited, a sugar factory. The order mentions that the companies have failed to install an online stack emission, effluent and ambient air quality monitoring system, which were asked to be put in place by the board during its earlier letters dated April 21, 2011, August 05, 2011 and January 10, 2012. The installation of these systems would have enabled state pollution control board and Central Pollution Control Board to effectively monitor the quality of ambient air and effluent discharge from the concerned industrial units, the order has said. The notices were issued today under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution Act, 1981) and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said imprisonment upto 3 months or a fine can be imposed, if the companies fail to install the pollution monitoring gadgets required under the Air and Water Act. PTI