NEWS

All hazardous waste generating industries in Goa have been via a notice issued by the Goa State Pollution Control Board directed to
make an application to the Board on or before January 4, 2010, for obtaining authorisation as required under the Hazardous Waste
(Management, Handling and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules, 2008, notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.Similarly, all industrial plants and industries, operations and processes that are releasing gaseous emissions and/or particulate matter into the atmosphere and are discharging sewage and/or trade effluents without the Consent to Operate from the Board have also been directed to make an application for grant of Consent to Operate under the provisions of the Air Act and Water Act on or before the same date (January 4). The Supreme Court in writ petition No 675 (Research Foundation for Science Technology National Resources policy v/s Union of India and others) has, amongst others, directed that those units which are operating without any authorisation or in violation of conditions of authorisation issued by the PCB shall be closed by the Board forthwith. The notice of the GSPCB states all hazardous waste generating industries in the State that possess authorisation of the Board are being directed to manage and handle the hazardous waste generated at their units in strict compliance with the terms and conditions as contained in the said authorisation issued by it. The Board further asserted that it was mandatory for all industrial plants, industries, enterprises, operations or processes to obtain Consent to Operate from it before operating any industrial plant in an air pollution control area, and/or discharging sewage or trade effluents into a stream, well, sewer or land. It observed that many such industries have not obtained Consent to Operate from the Board and were disposing off their sewage, trade effluents and air pollutants into the environment illegally. It has warned the hazardous industries and other industrial plants to comply with the requisite legislations or else face legal action that my include disconnection of electricity and water supply.