CM orders closure of Meta Strips

Sandesh Prabhudesai
6 April 2000  

Amicable solution on the controversy over Meta Strips issue appears visible with chief minister Francisco Sardinha ordering clsoure of the factory immediately. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting today evening after the first round of talks held with the agitators earlier.

While second round of talks would now take place later on formatio of the experts committee to probe into the alleged pollutio by the factory, the 11-day old fast-unto-death may be ended by 15 acitivists of the Anti Meta Strips Action Committee led by ZP member Mathany Saldhana, probably by tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Goa remained peaceful with no incident of violence reported throughout the day while police was deployed in several sensitive areas of South Goa, in order to tackle any last-minute eventuality.

Besides stopping all the activities at the factory situated at Sancoale near the port town of Vasco, both the government and the AMCAC also agreed upon making inventory of the machinery inside and keeping only one gate open for the securitymen who would be allowed inside. A monitoring committee has also been set up to implement it.

Though the AMCAC is yet to agree upon the constitution of the experts committee to study the alleged pollution the factory manufacturing brass strips and foils would cause, the government has suggested a committee with three representatives of the AMCAC, two each from the government and the Meta Strips and at least three experts from national institutes of repute like the NERI.

Meanwhile, the opposition Congress party has accused the BJP – partners in the Sardinha-led coalition government – responsible for worsening the situation over the issue by making volte face and withdrawing support to the agitation.

Manohar Parrikar, the BJP spokesman, has however refuted the allegation stating that his party is still in favour of probing into the pollution angle by an independent body while also sticking to its demand of a CBI inquiry into the fraudulent manner in which the Meta Strips project was cleared by the Congress government in the past.

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