Will fix responsibility in Pilerne industrial fire incident based on probe report: Goa CM tells Assembly

Panaji, Jan 17 (PTI) The Goa government will fix responsibility in the Pilerne industrial estate fire incident once a committee submits its investigation report, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant told the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

A fire had erupted in a paint factory located in the industrial area near Panaji on January 10 causing a thick chemical plume, following which several residents in the vicinity were asked to shift as a precaution. Nobody was injured in the incident.

The issue was raised in the Assembly on Tuesday by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo who demanded the factory be shifted out of Pilerne as it is located near human habitation.

CM Sawant said a committee comprising the district collector and agencies including the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), Industrial Development Corporation, and the Fire and Emergency Services has been constituted to investigate the fire incident.

“The state government had issued a health advisory immediately after the incident. The government will fix responsibility after the panel submits its report,” he told the House.

State Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral said the GSPCB immediately deployed both the Mobile Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Machines, one at Pilerne, Saligao, and another downwind at Panaji, after the fire.

“At the Saligao station of GSPCB, all the air quality parameters were within permissible limits except for carbon monoxide which was higher than the 8-hour average, but was much below the threshold limit value,” he said.