Residents of Subdolem and Cordem areas in the sleepy village of Barcem are again up in arms over what they call as environmental pollution caused by a fish meal plant in the locality. An inspection of the plant was carried out by villagers in the presence of Quepem MLA Babu Kavlekar, ZP member Kushali Velip on Sunday wherein they have demanded action against the plant. In a signed memorandum submitted to the District Collector, the residents contended that fish meal plant has raised a stink in the immediate neighbourhood, claiming that the locality is hit by the problem of air and water pollution. They claimed that the owner has failed to comply with directions issued by the Deputy Collector and SDO, Quepem. The residents told the MLA that the plant has no pits for disposal of waste and waste water, adding that the waste water finds its way in the laterite stone quarry, affecting the ground water and water bodies, including the water pond and well. Devotees of the two religious temples of local deities have been inconvenienced because of bad odour emanating from the plant, they added. In the year 2011, then Deputy Collector of Quepem Agnelo Fernandes had closed the proceedings initiated under section 133 of the Cr PC with a direction to the unit to obtain NOC from health to operate the fish meal plant, make the STP operational, and take consent under Air and Water Acts from the Goa State Pollution Control Board, which is the pre-requisite for the SSI unit and then start the unit. Meanwhile, the District Collector has told the residents that he would forward the complaint to the Quepem Deputy Collector to initiate action if the fish meal plant has not complied with the 2011 directions.