GSPCB to act on complaints, upload reports online within 24 hours

Panaji: Goa state pollution control board has decided to inspect sites of air and water pollution within 24 hours from the receipt of a complaint and put the inspection report online within 24 hours or one working day. Aimed at expediting the board's functioning, making it more transparent and addressing complaints and applications in a time-bound manner, the move will eliminate the need for NGOs, activists and citizens to follow up on their grievances regularly.

A new circular issued by GSPCB member secretary Levinson Martins further said the analysis report of the sample collected, if any, will be completed and a report submitted in four working days.

GSPCB said inspections for consent to operate, renewal of consent, or consent to establish, with respect to applications received from red category (highly polluting) small, medium and large scale industries shall be conducted in seven working days. The inspection reports will be uploaded online within 24 hours. The board has also decided not to send the same officer to inspect the same applicant twice.

It has also been decided to exempt green category (low risk) industry units with a history of satisfactory compliance from physical inspection. The units will have to provide self-certified documents to be exempted from routine inspections.

Martins said applications for consent to establish/operate mobile-based towers will be evaluated on the basis of specific guidelines issued by the department of science, technology and environment (DSTE) regarding location of such towers.

"GSPCB examines applications for consent to establish mobile-based station towers technically to verify whether this proposed location is complying with guidelines issued by DSTE. Hence, the applications will be processed without issuing permission for the local authorities. However, the applicant cannot commence actual construction without obtaining NOC/permission from local authorities," the circular stated.

In case of proposals approved in-principle by the Goa investment promotion board (GIPB), GSPCB will examine the same in terms of Water and Air Act and not insist on NOCs from local authorities as in preconditions.

"This proceeds on the understanding that the project proponent/the proposed industrial activity, to whom/for which the in-principle approval has been granted by GIPB, has gone through a detailed scrutiny with specific reference to project location, site characteristics, etc. before granting such permissions, in addition to investment criteria and job opportunities," Martin said

However, the board has also decided that the project proponent will have to pay five times the stipulated fees for consent to establish. Further the project proponent will ultimately have to obtain license/permission from local authorities prior to commencement of construction if the proponent is unable to obtain NOC.