PANAJI: The issue of air pollution in the mining village of Sonshi is getting hazier by the day with mining companies contesting the high readings of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and demanding the engagement of an expert agency to check air pollution in the village.
According to the mining companies, the equipment used by GSPCB to measure air quality is “in poorly maintained condition” and, therefore, likely to give an erroneous reading.
Companies, through their representative body the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA), on Thursday said that only an independent agency could give the true picture of air quality in Sonshi.
They also asked for “transparency in the process of checking air quality by the GSPCB,” and said that the pollution control board should have shared the details of site readings with respective companies before slamming them collectively on failure to tackle pollution.
A GSPCB report had revealed that mining companies tampered with the air quality measurement equipment and fitted the equipment with regulators. The report stated that, thanks to tampering of equipment, the readings in Sonshi were shown far below the permissible level.
Disputing the report, mining companies said that seven machines were used for checking the air quality of which four belonged to the mining companies, two were from consultants and one from the GSPCB. “One machine from the consultant was non-functional while the GSPCB’s machine was not maintained,” said mining companies. They said that the GSPCB machine was earlier used for coal monitoring in Vasco and was brought to the monitoring site (at Sonshi) with black dust in its filter.
Currently, the consent to operate to 12 iron ore mining leases in Sonshi cluster has been kept in abeyance by the GSPCB. The pollution control board has now decided to replace the air monitoring stations in the village and said that it will continue with its study of air quality till the month-end. However, the mining companies have also questioned the GSPCB’s replacement of the monitoring stations. They have alleged that GSPCB has placed some of the monitoring equipment in homes of villagers.
Glen Kalavampara, secretary of GMOEA, said that “norms have to be followed while placing the monitoring equipment and the GSPCB, by keeping the equipment in people’s houses, is not following standard operating procedure.” Kalavampara explained that the machines have to be placed at certain height to correctly measure the ambient air quality and they cannot be kept in homes.
All leaseholders operating in Sonshi were present in the GMOEA office to put forward their case on pollution in the village. They pointed out that the equipment provided by them was compliant and met the guidelines laid down by the regulatory authorities.
Mining companies are also requesting for the consent to operate from the GSPCB so as to undertake extraction before the onset of monsoon. They said that transportation will not be carried out until the matter of air pollution in Sonshi, caused by the movement of trucks, is clear.
Earlier, the GSPCB had issued show-cause notices to 12 leaseholders in the village for failure to control air pollution. Not satisfied with the mining companies’ replies, the GSPCB has kept the consent on hold and mining in Sonshi has been stopped.