Panaji: Acting on a complaint alleging air pollution, the Goa State Human Rights Commission on Tuesday suggested that access to clean air is a human right and recommended that the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) should not give Goa Carbon Ltd consent to operate for more than one year at a time. The present consent to operate to the unit, located at Sao Jose de Areal, expires on April 1, 2024.
Goa Carbon manufactures calcined petroleum coke by processing raw petroleum coke.
A complaint was filed by a resident of Sao Jose de Areal alleging pollution due to the emission of particles from the factory. It claimed that the company had begun production without complying with the pollution control report.
During an inspection by the investigation cell of the human rights commission, it was found that within a distance of 10m from the factory, mango leaves had turned black due to the deposit of black dust. Within a distance of 100m from the factory, a part of field soil that was not ploughed, was black. Black particles were seen in the nullah, on the roof of a house near the factory, inside houses, on floors, staircases, balconies, furniture, cars, two-wheelers, coconut leaves, etc.
The commission, in its latest inquiry report, stated that the government had not made any serious attempt to see that conditions imposed for operating Goa Carbon are complied with by the company.
“Consent to operate is given with several conditions. But we do not find that serious attempts have been made by the GSPCB to see if those conditions are strictly complied with. The right to breathe clean air is a human right and air pollution is a violation of human rights. In our considered opinion, some recommendations must be made to Goa Carbon Ltd,” the commission stated.
Goa Carbon manufactures calcined petroleum coke by processing raw petroleum coke.
A complaint was filed by a resident of Sao Jose de Areal alleging pollution due to the emission of particles from the factory. It claimed that the company had begun production without complying with the pollution control report.
During an inspection by the investigation cell of the human rights commission, it was found that within a distance of 10m from the factory, mango leaves had turned black due to the deposit of black dust. Within a distance of 100m from the factory, a part of field soil that was not ploughed, was black. Black particles were seen in the nullah, on the roof of a house near the factory, inside houses, on floors, staircases, balconies, furniture, cars, two-wheelers, coconut leaves, etc.
The commission, in its latest inquiry report, stated that the government had not made any serious attempt to see that conditions imposed for operating Goa Carbon are complied with by the company.
“Consent to operate is given with several conditions. But we do not find that serious attempts have been made by the GSPCB to see if those conditions are strictly complied with. The right to breathe clean air is a human right and air pollution is a violation of human rights. In our considered opinion, some recommendations must be made to Goa Carbon Ltd,” the commission stated.
