Locals say slag damaged fields & reduced farm produce; demand compensation PONDA: Officials of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) Tuesday inspected the toxic slag dumped atop a hill near the Kundaim Industrial Estate, by three steel plants operating there. According to the locals, the toxic slag is washed down in rains and has flooded the villages of Veling, Priol and Cuncoliem. The toxic slag has destroyed bagayats, agricultural fields and polluted the entire area, they allege. The slag has even reached the doorsteps of residents in Namaswada. Blaming the local panchayat, the IDC and the government officials concerned for ignoring dumping of the slag atop the hill, the villagers have demanded compensation for the damage they have suffered. The farm produce has gradually fallen over the years due to the slag pollution which is also a daily nuisance, the villagers claim. According to the villagers, around 50,000 square metres of land has been polluted by the toxic slag, which they demand be cleaned up, failing which, they have threatened an agitation. The villagers accused some locals of allowing the industrial units dump slag on their properties for monetary gains. Incidentally, when the pollution board officials inspected the slag dump, no official from any of the three steel companies was present, which angered the villagers. Local panch Adv Varad Mardolkar said that the ‘mountain like’ slag dump is a danger to human lives as it may slide down on the houses downhill in rains and bury them alive. Two years ago, a similar situation was reported in Bhoma Panchayat which is also bordering to Kundaim Industrial Estate. The inspection team included Pollution Board officials Vijay Kansekar and Chandrashekar Parab, Kundaim Sarpanch Damodar Naik and panchas.