GSPCB orders South West Port Limited to control air pollution

PANAJI: The Goa state pollution control board ( GSPCB) on Wednesday directed South West Port Limited (SWPL), operated by Jindal Steel, to take necessary steps to control air pollution, and alleged environmental degradation in Mormugao, while handling coal at mechanized plant.

SWPL handle coal at berth nos 5A and 6A at Mormugao Port Trust.

"In exercise of powers vested with this board under Section 31(A) read with Section 21 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, notice is hereby served on you (SWPL), as to why appropriate legal action as contemplated in the provisions of Air act should not be initiated against your unit for operating your unit in violation of the consent conditions and causing air pollution in the vicinity," stated the show cause notice .

The board also directed the taking of immediate additional measures such as installation of additional sprinklers, windscreens, etc, in order to ensure that the parameters meet the prescribed standards.

"Your (SWPL) failure to reply to the above show cause notice will compel the board to initiate legal action as per the provision of the said Act which may include suspension or closure of your unit," stated the notice.

The GSPCB had received the ambient air quality monitoring report of the SWPL conducted by SWPL through an external agency during the months of January, February and March, 2013, at various locations around your unit. SWPL had approached the board with the report to renew their consent to operate.

"The monitoring report of the ambient air quality indicates that the prescribed limits of the parameters like particulate matter carried out near substation II of SWPL during the months of February and March, 2013 are exceeding the limit as prescribed under the schedule VII of the National Ambient Air Quality specified in the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and also stipulated in the consent to operate orders issued to you by the board," the show cause notice further states.

The notice issued by member secretary Levinson Martins said that the analytical report of the ambient air quality monitoring indicates that the air pollution control measures adopted by the unit are not adequate for controlling the air pollution caused due to the operation of the SWPL's unit.

"It appears that you (SWPL) are operating your unit in violation of the consent conditions, thereby causing air pollution and environmental degradation in the vicinity," it stated.