Panaji: The state government has failed to conduct an environmental profiling study in Goa to assess environmental health and its impact on human health. The Goa Medical College (GMC) was to carry out an assessment of human health risks associated with environmental exposure and identify mitigation measures.
The GMC said the study could not be completed due to the Covid pandemic.
The Union Ministry of Environment had asked the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to carry out the study and the board had given the responsibility to the GMC.
We will approach the Ministry of Environment to request more time to complete the study, GSPCB Chairman Mahesh Patil told TOI. The council was expected to complete the study by March 2022.
A GMC Chief Medical Officer said that since March 2020, the GMC has been at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19 in the state.
“Given the pandemic, there is every possibility of further delay in starting the study. Given the attacks on healthcare workers during the pandemic in different parts of the country, it could be risky for workers in field to obtain data during home visits. Under the given conditions, I would like to express my inability to conduct the study,” the officer said.
“The Union Ministry of Environment had said that the National Environmental Health Profile Study had been approved for three years and that it would be a collaborative study of the GMC and the GSPCB,” said said GSPCB member secretary Shamila Monteiro.
“The interrelation between pollution, morbidity and mortality should be analyzed for which environmental data was supposed to be provided by the council and morbidity and mortality data should be assessed by the GMC through a specific protocol,” he said. she declared.
The study was launched in 20 cities across the country. The Union Environment Ministry has said the project is of national importance as it will assess the health impact from pollution and therefore needs to be diligently implemented and monitored for completion. within the deadlines.
The GMC said the study could not be completed due to the Covid pandemic.
The Union Ministry of Environment had asked the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to carry out the study and the board had given the responsibility to the GMC.
We will approach the Ministry of Environment to request more time to complete the study, GSPCB Chairman Mahesh Patil told TOI. The council was expected to complete the study by March 2022.
A GMC Chief Medical Officer said that since March 2020, the GMC has been at the forefront of the battle against Covid-19 in the state.
“Given the pandemic, there is every possibility of further delay in starting the study. Given the attacks on healthcare workers during the pandemic in different parts of the country, it could be risky for workers in field to obtain data during home visits. Under the given conditions, I would like to express my inability to conduct the study,” the officer said.
“The Union Ministry of Environment had said that the National Environmental Health Profile Study had been approved for three years and that it would be a collaborative study of the GMC and the GSPCB,” said said GSPCB member secretary Shamila Monteiro.
“The interrelation between pollution, morbidity and mortality should be analyzed for which environmental data was supposed to be provided by the council and morbidity and mortality data should be assessed by the GMC through a specific protocol,” he said. she declared.
The study was launched in 20 cities across the country. The Union Environment Ministry has said the project is of national importance as it will assess the health impact from pollution and therefore needs to be diligently implemented and monitored for completion. within the deadlines.
