Green norms may shut down 50pc of Goa hotels: tourism minister

A directive by the National Green Tribunal related to sewage treatment might lead to closure of almost half of the total number of hotels in Goa, state tourism minister Dilip Parulekar said here today.
Parulekar told reporters that the Goa State Pollution Control Board, abiding by NGT directives, has issued showcause notices to several hotels in the state which function without sewerage treatment plants.
The NGT has directed pollution control boards across the country to close down all units including hotels, found violating the Air and Water Act.
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests wrote to the Goa State Pollution Control Board to take action as per NGT directives and file an action taken report (ATR) within a stipulated period of time.

"This directive would shut down 50 per cent of industries and hotels in Goa," he said, adding that during his recent visit to Delhi, he had requested Union Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi to intervene in the matter and save the hotel industry from being doomed.
"NGT directives are strict and could doom all hotels under the pollution control board's scanner for minor, possibly not very valid reasons like routine garbage disposal, need to install a composting unit and use of small generators due to lack of regular power," Parulekar said.