the goan I network
MARGAO
Faced with the biter prospect of payment compensation to the tune of Rs 1.02 crore to the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) administration has decided to put the pollution board’s compensation claim before the Council for necessary decision and action.
The issue may figure at the forthcoming meeting of the MMC scheduled next week, which will take a call either to contest the GSPCB’s claim on compensation or to make the payment.
Margao Municipal CO Sidhivinayak Naik told the media on Friday that the Municipal lawyer Adv Maria Mesquita will discuss the matter with the Municipal high court lawyer, Adv Padiyar before arriving at an opinion how to go about the issue. “The Council meeting will take a call on the GSPCB claim on Rs 1.02 crore compensation. The Municipal lawyer will discuss the matter with the high court lawyer to take a suitable legal stand on the issue before it is brought up before the Council for discussion and action,” he added.
The Chief Officer, however, said that he is not in a position to answer when the Council will meet as the power to convene the Council meetings rests with the Municipal chairperson. Though the GSPCB had directed the civic body to pay the compensation amounting to Rs 1.02 crore within seven days, the civic body is expected to take some time to arrive at a decision given that money matters are required to be placed before the Council meetings for approval.
It may be recalled that the GSPCB had claimed compensation from the civic body amounting to Rs 1.02 crore for causing damage to the environment due to the massive fire that engulfed the Sonsodo waste dumping for a week, beginning from May 25. Invoking the “polluter pays” principle and the guidelines laid down by the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal, the GSPCB had stated in the same letter that the Board will use the compensation for the restoration of the environment damaged by the fire.
