Team Herald
PANJIM: Marred by charges of increasing pollution in Vasco, the fate of Mormugao Port Trust’s (MPT) coal handling terminals of Adani and Jindal, will be taken up by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) at its meeting on Thursday.
The meeting will also decide upon the Consent to Operate under Air and Water Pollution Act to four more iron ore mining leases belonging to Gettabala Parulekar in Pissurlem, V G Quenim in Sonshi, N S Narvekar in Sanguem and Ramakant Velingkar at Dharbandora.
GSPCB chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said coal dust pollution at Vasco owing to coal handling terminals of MPT and consent to mining firms are the two major issues before the Board.
“Following complaints and site inspection that showed high-level coal pollution, we had issued show cause notice to Adani and Jindal. Replying to which, they have denied the charges,” Noronha said adding, “We have enough evidence to prove coal pollution.”
In three different show cause notices, GSPCB has slammed MPT (berth No 9), Adani Mormugao Port Terminal Private Limited (berth No 7) and South West Port limited – Jindal (berth No 5 and 6), for violating norms as mentioned in the Consent to Operate granted for operation cum handling of coal facilities.
As far as iron ore mining is concerned, all four lease holders have applied for Consent to Operate under Water (prevention and control of pollution) Act 1974 and Air (prevention and control of pollution) Act 1981. The EC limit of these four mines is fixed at two million metric tonnes.
GSPCB has already granted Consent to Operate to 57 mining leases, with annual extraction cap of 13.79 million metric tonnes.
The Board has to also decide on granting extension to those bakers and private nursing home operators who have not yet applied for Consent to Operate to make the application for the same along with waiving off late fees.
