Panaji: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday assured members of the Goa Legislative Assembly that he will write to the Centre conveying apprehensions over the proposal to expand coal handling capacity at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) at Vasco in South Goa.
Replying to a question in the ongoing monsoon session of theAssembly, Mr. Parrikar, who also holds the Environment portfolio, repeatedly assured agitated members of the House that no expansion will be allowed unless the government is able to bring down the coal pollution to acceptable levels. The Pollution Control Board recently approved a 25% cut in MPT’s coal handling capacity of 5.5 million tonnes per annum.
“For me the interest of the State is paramount. I will write to Delhi about the concerns of people over the likely higher pollution in case of expansion of the coal handling capacity in Vasco. And I am very sure that they (the Centre) will not overrule my concerns,” said Mr. Parrikar.
Mr. Parrikar also said the autonomous Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had granted South West Port Limited its consent to operate at Mormugao harbour up to December 7, 2016, and the application for renewal of consent is under consideration.
He said there is no coal hub as per data available with GSPCB. However, Adani Mormugao Port Terminal Private Limited, hasconsent to operate up to January 31, 2018 with a 25% cut in capacity, that is, 4.125 million tonnes per annum.
Addressing a query over the likely displacement of the fishingcommunity of Khariwada, Vasco, Mr. Parrikar said the MPT has informed the State government that this will not happen. In fact, a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between theGovernment of Goa, MPT and Goa Fishing Boat Owners’ Association for construction of a fishing jetty at Khariwada on January 22 last year. As per the MoU, MPT will construct a modern fishing harbour at Khariwada for Rs.104 crore and hand itover to the Directorate of Fisheries, Government of Goa, for further operation and maintenance.
