GREEN ADVOCATES WANTED IN GOA
Pending the onset of monsoon in the state, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), the Mines Department and the Chief Secretary should continue to keep the pressure on the mining companies to thoroughly abide by the norms set with respect to the quality of air, water, noise pollution especially at Sonshi as well as coal dust pollution at the port city of Vasco. While in Sonshi clean up operations on the ground and the roads is going on before the monsoon to prevent run-offs from getting into the water bodies, it would be prudent to suspend mining in Sonshi to after the rains as the rains will act as a natural scrubber to clean the air pollution in Sonshi as also in Vasco and thus restore its ambient air quality. Meanwhile it would be a big boost to the suffering common men due to pollution in the state if all the English and Marathi dailies in Goa have a column addressed by Green Advocates on the mechanism of how people can address their grievances pertaining to their entitlements with regard to clean air, water and environment by educating the people on environmental laws protecting the environment in the state.Topics such as laws that are under the purview of the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) as well as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as well as local laws can be brought to light for the protection of the environmental rights of the people. Green Advocates should also assist people in addressing their environmental entitlements so as to keep Goa green and a health place to live in. Stephen Dias Dona Paula dATE: 16TH MAY 2016
