GSPCB grants consent to airport at Mopa

Panaji: Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) on Wednesday granted the greenfield international airport at Mopa the consent to establish under the Air and Water Acts, with conditions.
A board official said the consent has been granted, but that any change in the plan, to water consumption, waste water generation, solid waste generation and treatment, air emission and treatment, once the project is handed over to the prospective bidder, then the bidder will need to reapply for consent.
The department of civil aviation had filed an application with the GSPCB for the consent to establish for Mopa airport.
On October 28, 2015, the ministry of environment, forest and climate change had granted environment clearance to the airport.
The proposed airport, located in Mopa, Varconda, Ugvem, Chandel, Casarvarnem and Ambrem on a total 81,29,455sq m, has a passenger handling capacity of nine million per annum
The waste water likely to be generated is 5MLD, which will be reused for purposes such as toilet flushing, vehicle washing, washing of common areas, gardening, etc.
The board has stated that the biodegradable waste generated should be treated in an organic waste convertor while non-biodegradable waste be handed over to a local authority/agency authorized by GSPCB.
The state government will open the financial bid for the airport on July 11. The five bidders are GVK, GMR, Essel Infra-Mumbai, Airports Authority of India and Voluptas Developers.
The state government had issued the request for proposal (RFP) for the proposed airport at Mopa in January, seeking bids from interested companies to construct the airport. The construction of the airport at Mopa is expected to start by September 2016.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured chief minister Laxmikant Parseker of laying the foundation stone for the airport in September, a source said.