NT Reporter
Panaji
Following the instructions from its new chairman Lavinson Martins, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has issued an office order mandating immediate inspections of industrial and commercial units across the state.
The directive, aimed at preventing and controlling pollution, targets red and orange category industries in Cuncolim and Verna industrial estates, commercial coastal establishments in Anjuna and Colva, and material recovery facilities in several municipal and village panchayat areas.
The order specifies that teams of board officials will conduct thorough inspections to verify effective compliance with conditions under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Units will be scrutinised for proper operation of effluent treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, air pollution control devices, and the installation of online noise monitoring systems, particularly in sensitive coastal zones.
Additionally, discreet inspections on ambient air quality and noise are to be carried out at commercial units in the coastal belts of Anjuna and Colva.
Separate teams have been assigned to inspect material recovery facilities and solid waste treatment plants operated by municipalities and village panchayats, including those in Mormugao, Mapusa, Ponda, and Taleigao.
The board has set a strict deadline for the submission of inspection reports, which must include observations, findings, and recommendations, by September 24, 2025.
Member secretary Sanjeev Joglekar has emphasised that severe violations must be met with immediate action to halt ongoing non-compliance.
