Admitting that it has no strategy to protect human and animal lives in case of emergencies erupting from various illegal scrapyards operating in the State, the government on Monday told the Goa legislative assembly that it was in the process of framing a policy for registration of scrapyards, which will address and tackle issues of legal and illegal scrapyards and issues around it.
The government also assured the House that the scrapyard policy will be ready within the next three months.
Waste Management Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate informed that most of the scrapyards were operating without permission.
He said there were a total of 380 scrapyards in the State – 170 in North Goa and 210 in the South.
“As of now, we have no methodology to tackle any dangerous incidents erupting from the scrapyards but the government is in the process of formulating a policy which will decide on its legality and other related issues. We will come out with the policy within three months,” Monserrate said.
He also said that the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) has been asked to identify land for scrapyards in all 12 talukas. He said a minimum of 2,000 sq mts of land will be demarcated for the scrapyards within the industrial estates.
“The government is planning to relocate these scrapyards as per the new policy or as per the existing rules,” he said.
Raising the issue during the Question Hour, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao said the illegal scrapyards had sprouted everywhere – in residential areas, comunidade land and even in residential houses, and the government had no control over them.
“Illegal scrapyards are like ticking bombs. These illegal scrapyards deal in highly inflammable products, hazardous wastes, toxic material and poisonous chemicals which could cause danger to humans. The government including the panchayats and the municipalities is encouraging such unauthorised scrapyards,” Alemao said.
He said there were several accidents/blasts that have occurred in the scrapyards in the past but the government has still not come out with guidelines to deal with it.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed the House that illegal scrapyards were operating for the last 25 years in the State but it was his government that is taking action against them for the first time.
“We have started sending notices to the scrapyards. As soon as the policy is framed, within three months, these scrapyards will be relocated. The scrapyard owners will have to relocate to private land or relocate in areas allotted by the IDC,” Sawant said.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, Velim MLA Cruz Silva, St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas also spoke.
