CUNCOLIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) appears to have just awoken to the 30-year-old struggle of the Cuncolim people against the polluting industries at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. But with an eyebrow-raising decision
GSPCB Chairman Mahesh Patil recently said they have asked an expert agency to investigate the pollution levels at the industrial estate. This begs the question. Why would Goa’s Pollution Control board with scientists, experts and equipment need “an expert agency to investigate pollution?”
“Does this mean that GSPCB was unaware of the pollution all this time despite people fighting against it,” asked Vijay Prabhu, one agitated youngster.
Cuncolim is renowned for playing major roles in Goa’s struggles. For example, the Chieftains’ Revolt is said to be the first battle against Portuguese rule started in Cuncolim. Post liberation, the Opinion Poll Jyot launched from Cuncolim played a stellar role in convincing the majority community against merging with Maharashtra.
However, in recent times the fish meal plants have as a major nuisance as it is thanks to these 10 plants that not only the industrial estate but even an area in a radius of five km around it has a foul odour.
In fact, four fish meal plants were fined around Rs 1 crore each for dumping their waste illegally in bore wells constructed within their factory premises without any authorisation.
However, the owners of these plants have challenged this order and the matter is pending in court.
“The situation is so bad that people are forced to close their windows in the night to escape the bad smell,” said Kabir Moraes who recently organised a meeting against this pollution.
However, the battle against pollution caused by the Industrial Estate has not succeeded in galvanising the townsfolk as in the past. The fight against pollution is restricted to random press statements by politicians and very active campaigns on social media by activists. Unfortunately, it has not turned into a people’s movement as yet, though there are groups of people especially those led by youngsters that are keeping the issue alive
“Nobody is supporting the industries, but the problem is that many are just silent on the matter. ‘Mhaka kiteak podlam’ (Why should I be bothered) appears to be plaguing the people now.” Says Sagarika Prabhugaonkar one of the youngsters leading the present movement.
The lack of political will to resolve this issue is evident given the fact that even though two MLAs representing Cuncolim were ministers and a local of this area was an MP, polluting industries continue to exist and damage the environment.
The issue of industrial pollution started in 1992, there have been complaints of pollution. It came to the forefront in 2006 when the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court was seized with the matter.
While Oscar Martins filed a petition, a letter written by Dr Jorson Fernandes was converted into a Public Interest Litigation by the court that heard both matters together. Both cases pertained to pollution caused by Nicomet and Sunrise Zinc.
In 2007 the court directed both the factories to be sealed after Dr Jorson produced photographs showing how slag was dumped in an abandoned quarry at Paddi on the way to Canacona by these factories.
“It was a tedious battle for me as I had to not only follow the trucks dumping the slag but also get the tests done through an agency in Bangalore to expose the inability of GSPCB,” recalls Dr Jorson.
What is truly astounding is that most of Cuncolim Municipal Councillors are silent over this matter claiming that the law prohibits them from interfering with the Industrial Estate. “We do not need leaders, we need mass support to at least have an office of the GSPCB in Cuncolim to fight the pollution,” said Vijay Prabhu.
Therefore while the Pollution Board has hired an agency to investigate pollution, the cause of this pollution seems to be known to all.