Amended noise action plan of Goa
Goa government has notified the ‘Amended Noise Action Plan’ to purportedly streamline the processes related to curbing noise pollution in the state, as specified before the High Court on April 30. The
Goa
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GPCB visits Vasco fishing jetty,collects coal dust samples
The Goa Pollution Control Board (GPCB) on Wednesday collected samples of coal and coke dust from the Vasco fishing jetty. Following demands from the Mormugao Bachao Abhiyan (MBA), the GPCB had installed a Mobile Respriable Dust Sampler unit at the fishing jetty on Tuesday at 8 am. After a gap of 24 hours, GPCB officials removed the unit and collected the samples. That the coal and coke dust levels were high seemed evident as the machine was covered with coal and coke dust, visible to the naked eye, despite the ongoing strike that has paralysed coal and coke handling operations at Berths 10 and 11 at the port. Admitting that there was coal and coke dust pollution, GPCB officials, however, declined to comment on the actual dust levels and only stated that the samples would be sent for tests. Speaking to Herald, MBA Convener Simon Pereira said: "The unit was installed on Tuesday and within 24 hours, coal and coke dust has settled on the unit, even though coal and coke handling operations have stopped due to the strike. Because of the 2000-odd workers, the entire population of Mormugao has to suffer.' A senior citizen, who was present at the site when officials collected the samples, claimed that coal dust enters his flat and settles on the floor, fan and clothes, creating a lot of inconvenience. Agreed Councillor Lavina Pinto: "Coal dust has created a lot of problems as it enters the houses along the costal belt of Khariwada. People have to clean their homes at least twice a day and the dust has also affected the health of the children.' Another Councillor Arnald Rego admitted that ailments like Asthma have been on the rise in the Port town. Residents at the site accused the Rojgar Bachao Abhiyan (RBA) of racking up the issue of coal for their personal benefits. They alleged that most truck and shovel owners are direct beneficiaries of the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), while citizens have had to suffer from the coal dust.
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Panjim finally cleared of garbage
Acting CCP mayor apologises for inconvenience As Panjim enjoyed a breath of fresh air today after four days of garbage stench, acting mayor of the City of Corporation of Panjim, Yaten Parekh today apologised to the citizens of the city for the inconvenience caused owing to the workers' stir. Parekh speaking to Herald today said that the corporators along with the team of employees worked round the clock since late Monday night and cleared the accumulated garbage from every nook and corner of the city. While most of the garbage was cleared last night, remains at remote locations were lifted early today morning. The corporation today categorically denied allegations that the Tonca landfill site is being used to hold the city to ransom at the behest of politicos. The acting Mayor disclosed that even after chief minister assured action against the culprits in the assault of CCP Mayor, that locals residing around the site continued to object to the dumping of waste at the said site. Parekh disclosed that the CCP members had to appease the agitated lot, "Only after which the dumping operations began late on Monday night,' he said. Interestingly, the bio-reactor plant being set up by the CCP at Patto has successfully completed trial runs. However its commissioning is likely to be delayed on account of the Mayor's absence. The CCP Commissioner Sanjiv Gadkar told Herald that he did explore the possibility of starting he treatment plant during the strike. "But the quantum of accumulated waste was too large,' he said explaining further that no manpower was available to segregate the close to 70 tonnes of garbage that accumulated during the last five days. The four-day stir also witnessed a saga at the St Inez animal shelter where cattle remained starving and unattended. It is learnt that acting Mayor Parekh took timely action and had fodder supplied to the shelter.
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Petrol seeps into Bogmalo wells, spring
Mamlatdar, police, Navy directed to submit reports Mormugao Deputy Collector Levinson Martins has directed the Mamlatdar, police and naval authorities to submit their reports, following complaints from the Bogmalo panchayat that petrol had seeped into two wells and a spring in the village. Chicolna
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Developers of Goa SEZs get Centre's notices
The Goa Government had asked the Centre to scrap all SEZs in the state, after several public protest. Even though the cloud of uncertainty lingering over Special Economic Zones in Goa will take some more time to clear, the SEZ Board of Approvals that met on Monday decided to issue showcause notices to the developers of 12 zones that had already received in-principle and formal approvals from the Board. The Goa Government had asked the Centre to scrap all SEZs in the state, after several public protests rocked the state recently. While approved SEZ developers will be asked why their projects shouldn't be scrapped in the light of the concerns raised by the state Government, the three SEZs in the state already notified by the Centre will remain in limbo a tad longer. The Commerce Ministry had asked the Law Ministry to advise whether the SEZ Act, 2005, gave any provision to cancel notified zones. "While the Law Ministry has said it is possible to cancel notified zones, compensation will have to be worked out for developers if their notifications are withdrawn,' an official said. The Centre is still hoping to salvage the three notified zones that include a pharma SEZ being set up by Cipla. "The Union Government will separately initiate discussions with the Goa Government on the fate of three already notified SEZs,' said Commerce Secretary and head of the Board of Approvals, G K Pillai after the Board's meeting. Meanwhile, of the 17 SEZ proposals before the Board on Monday, 10 have been granted formal approval, including two SEZs each in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan. Three of the SEZs cleared are in IT sector
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Panjim garbage: NGO demands action against CCP mayor, dy
Goyche Niz Mogi has demanded action against the mayor CCP Tony Rodrigues and deputy mayor Yatin Parekh for allowing the city to stink for four days. It was the duty of the mayor and the councilors to ensure that the city is kept clean and that garbage is disposed off regularly, president James Fernandes said pointing out that the CCP leaders cannot encourage workers to strike work for political reasons. He has questioned the Chief Secretary J P Singh as to why Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) had not been invoked against the strike of CCP workers.
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MLA vows to settle Panjim garbage problem today
Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar, who is also the Panjim MLA, today said that the garbage problem caused in the capital city due to the strike called by the Corporation of City of Panaji workers, would be settled by tomorrow. Parrikar claimed that he met the CCP Mayor Tony Rodrigues on the issue in the hospital and discussed the effects of the workers stir. "The mayor was also of the opinion that the common man should not be put to hardship for the fault of someone else,' Parrikar said while addressing a press conference in the city. He said that the mayor is still recuperating from the injuries he received during the police assault and is still not able to sit or talk properly. However, he said, the common man cannot be taken to task by the workers for the police misdeeds. "If they have any grievances against the police and ministers, stop collecting garbage from their places but the common man should not suffer,' he stated. "I will speak to the concerned officials CCP commissioner, acting mayor and the councillors tomorrow and am confident the issue would be resolved by evening,' he said. When pointed out that the union leader of the CCP workers Keshav Prabhu is a BJP office bearer and he could have easily sorted out the issue for last two days Parrikar said that the strike has not been called by the union. "The workers were hurt by the police action after the stone pelting of police station wherein Mayor Tony Rodrigues and Monseratte family was manhandled and called the strike on its own and that nothing much the union leader can do,' he said.
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Sancorda residents opposed to proposed mining lease renewal
A number of residents from Sancorda have voiced objections to the proposed renewal of a mining lease in the locality. At an environmental public hearing, presided over by Additional Collector (South Goa) Prasanna Acharya, in the Sancorda panchayat hall on February 15, many residents pointed out that two wildlife sanctuaries, the famed Tambdi Surla temple and schools were located in the vicinity of the mines.
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Forest dept cages in male leopard
After about two months, the Forest Department finally managed to cage in a male leopard at Kudchirem-Bicholim on Sunday. It may be recalled that leopards had created havoc in Bicholim since last several months. People from Bicholim had spotted the leopard which tried to attack some locals in Bicholim. Earlier, the Animal Rescue Squad from Bicholim had caught a leopard which later escaped after breaking free. On Sunday night, the leopard was caught at Kudchirem in a cage, which placed by the Forest Department some two months back.
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Narvekar accused for ugly situation on State beaches
A stinking creek; clogged drains, stray dogs and cattle loitering on the beach and complaints of tourists about the mess welcomed Tourism Minister, Mickky Pacheco to Colva beach as he conducted an inspection on Wednesday noon. The Tourism Minister, however, was quick to blame Finance Minister, Dayanand Narvekar for the ugly situation on the beaches, accusing Narvekar for literally sitting on the beach cleaning file for the last three months.
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Policy decision on beach cleanliness given more time
The Bombay High Court has granted additional time to government authorities to ensure implementation of the policy decision taken by government for appropriate cleanliness in the city and more particularly on the beaches of Goa. The collectors of both the districts and the director tourism as also the director of municipal administration have been asked to file detailed affidavits by March 5, 2008.