GSPCB issues notices to 2632 units, informs MoEF (Herald)

GSPCB issues notices to 2632 units, informs MoEF July 16, 2013 TEAM HERALD PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board on Monday informed Ministry of Environment and Forest that it had issued show cause notices to 2632 industrial and hotel units for operating without consent under the Water and Air Act. The Board has assured the Ministry that it will initiate necessary action in accordance with law against all those who fail to reply. “The Board will initiate further necessary action in accordance with the law after receiving the replies from industries and hotels and the progress made in this matter will be intimated regularly,” the letter addressed to Under Secretary MoEF, N A Siddiqui reads. The GSPCB move is based on June 3 MoEF directions, which quoting National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, had directed pollution control boards across the country to close down all units, including hotels, running without the Consent to Operate under Water and Air Acts. As per the GSPCB statistics, there are over 2,300 industrial units and over 2,500 hotels operating without consent from Board. The Board has informed MoEF that the units have been asked to show cause within 15 days from the date of notice of the receipt, failing which the Board will be compelled to issue suspension or closure directions to your unit without further notice. GSPCB official said that units have started responding to the show cause. When asked about the decision of the Board of directors of GSPCB to seek three months time from NGT to submit their compliance report, official said ‘it is for the MoEF to decide and put up before the NGT. The directions were issued to us by MoEF and not NGT’. http://www.heraldgoa.in/News/Local%20News/GSPCB-issues-notices-to-2632-units-informs-MoEF/76957.html