Team Goemkarponn
CANACONA: Two officials of NTS Pvt. Ltd. were arrested and their distillery at Shristhal Industrial Estate sealed following public outrage over the leakage of a defunct molasses tank containing over two decades-old waste.
According to sources, the tank, which had already begun leaking heavily through a pin-hole on Sunday, drew the attention of nearby residents and activists on Monday. They approached the Canacona Deputy Collector, who assured immediate action to remove the molasses waste that had been neglected for more than three months.
The Deputy Collector, citing prior orders issued to the company to clear and shift the waste, immediately ordered the arrest of the two officials and the sealing of the distillery. NTS Pvt. Ltd., the current owner of the tank, had previously removed around 700 tons of molasses, leaving over a quarter of the tank still filled.
On June 12, the Deputy Collector had directed NTS Pvt. Ltd. to conduct a drone survey and structural stability test of the tank and take necessary steps to empty it to avert potential hazards. However, the company failed to comply.
Sources said the leaking molasses had already started burning nearby bushes and shrubs, raising fears of an imminent ecological, environmental, and agricultural disaster. Residents expressed concern that the contamination could severely impact paddy cultivation and water bodies, including the Talpona River and surrounding seawater.
Authorities warned that more residents were likely to gather to protest against the continued negligence, emphasizing that the delay in action had left the community exposed to potential disaster.
