NT Reporter
Panaji
The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) will re-verify the consent orders issued to various establishments in the state since the last over three months.
This comes in the backdrop of the fire tragedy that occurred recently at a nightclub in Arpora, leading to the death of 25 individuals. The nightclub was operating without the necessary permissions and also lacked safety measures.
The GSPCB issues consent orders to various establishments under the Water Act and the Air Act.
With regard to an office order issued by Member Secretary Geeta Nagvenkar on December 12, the GSPCB is undertaking an exercise to re-verify the consent orders issued from September 2025 till date. The exercise is to be completed by December 15.
Staff attached to the technical section of the pollution control board has been directed to attend the office on non-working day (December 14, Sunday) during the regular duty hours for the purpose of carrying out the exercise. The staff was also asked to attend duty on December 13, Saturday, which was also a non-working day.
Incidentally, it is learnt that Nagvenkar took charge as GSPCB Member Secretary in mid-September this year.
As per the order, the Junior Environmental Engineers (JEEs) concerned have been asked to check and verify all the consent orders put up by them from September 2025 till date. They have been asked to re-verify all documents that are required to be submitted by the applicant in terms of Air and Water Acts and rules and guidelines framed thereunder. They have been also asked to re-verify the report of inspections and see that that issues pertaining to the consent application were addressed.
The order also directs to re-verify whether air and water pollution control measures/equipment are satisfactorily taken at the applicants’ units.
After verification, the JEE concerned must certify on each individual hard consent file that the consent application has been verified and that the same can be granted/issued as the requirements are met, according to the order.
Further, the AEE (Assistant Environmental Engineer) concerned shall check the submission of the JEEs. The Environmental Engineer and Scientist ‘D’ of the GSPCB shall verify the submission and submit the individual consent files so verified to the Member Secretary, the order states
