Citing court rulings, govt says Curchorem STP doesn't need green clearance
State govt has defended the construction of the sewage treatment plant at Curchorem without conducting an environmental impact assessment (EIA), pointing to several court rulings that it claims exempt STPs from such requirements.
In a written reply to a legislative assembly question by MLA Viresh Borkar, environment minister Aleixo Sequeira has categorically stated that 'there is no requirement for environmental clearance (EC) for STPs under the EIA Notification 2006.'
The STP at Curchorem courted controversy after it emerged through an RTI reply in June that the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had no records of any EIA being conducted for the STP.
Govt's position rests primarily on three judicial orders. The most significant is a
National Green Tribunal
(NGT) decision in Kehar Singh versus State of Haryana of Sep 2013, which govt claims clarified that STPs don't require environmental clearance under the 2006 EIA notification.
Further, the reply refers to two more recent cases — an NGT ruling in Undir Paryavaran Saurakshan Manch and others versus the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority and others of Jan 2019, and a high court judgment in Jairaj Naik and others versus the Sewerage and Infrastructural Development Corporation of Goa Ltd of Nov 2019.
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However, this contradicts the earlier NGT judgment cited by activists (Application No. 124 of 2013), which mandated prior environmental clearance for the construction of STPs, particularly for combined effluent treatment plants handling more than 10% industrial contributions.
Nevertheless, govt's reply has left considerable information gaps. The reply states that details regarding water quality assessments, public consultations, and environmental monitoring are 'not available' or 'not applicable' due to govt's position that no EIA was required.
Govt stance notwithstanding, activists maintain that the STP's location on the Zuari riverbank is fraught with environmental red flags. Activist and Curchorem resident Aditya Dessai earlier pointed out that the project resulted in 'large-scale destruction of mangroves through filling of the riverbed within the high tide line'.
Besides, the sewage line passing through the Cacora industrial estate also raises questions about whether the facility should be classified as a combined effluent treatment plant, which would bring into play stricter EIA requirements under the NGT guidelines.
Further in its reply, govt has acknowledged receiving at least one complaint regarding the STP construction and operation, with the matter currently 'under consideration' and 'the decision pending'.
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