The Goa State Pollution Control Board has begun the process to set up new pollution monitoring stations especially in mining areas and has moved a proposal to secure funds to the tune of
Rs 40-crore in a bid to implement it.
PANAJI
The Goa State Pollution Control Board is currently relying on air quality monitoring stations that have been set up by the mining firms themselves to record the ambient air pollution levels especially in the Sonshi cluster and along the transportation route.
"A proposal in this regard has been sent to the Department of Environment," an official of the Goa State Pollution Control Board told The Goan.
Sources informed that the government could sanction the money from the District Mineral Fund, whose monies are to be spent on development in the mining areas of the State and the respective districts.
It is believed that there is around Rs 135 crore in the custody of the District Mineral Fund lying unused of which Rs 1.86 crore lies in the North Goa District fund and Rs 63.83 crore with the South Goa District Fund.
Pollution in Sonshi had become an issue with the arrest of several villagers who had protested and stopped transportation and their subsequent refusal of bail. The matter was then raised before the Bombay High Court at Goa which has issued several interim instructions. Several other pollution mitigation measures were undertaken in May this year when pollution was at its highest.
Besides this, the Goa State Pollution Control Board which had sought financial assistance from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) under the scheme -- Assistance for abatement of Pollution' for the New Board Laboratory at Saligao-Pilerne, has been told to seek financial assistance under the Integrated Coastal Zone Management project -- Phase II where proposals of all coastal states will be considered for appropriate funding.
