Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) comes under the scanner once again from today, as it begins the public hearings for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of its project to modernise and expand infrastructure for fishing, coastal, multipurpose cargo berth and liquid/general cargo. Environmentalists and activists have already torn into the EIA report, highlighting inconsistencies and discrepancies that will now be brought up during the hearing, forcing answers from the port trust. Fishermen, who will be affected by the project as some houses will face the axe, will be among those who will be opposing it. It is evident that MPT is not going to have an easy time in attempting to convince the residents of Vasco, and the environment brigade, that this project will be beneficial to the town and the people.
There is the general feeling among the residents of the port town that a liquid cargo berth, a mere 700 metres from their residences, is an ill-thought plan that needs to be summarily rejected. It’s clear that the hearing will see the POL berth opposed, but could see support for the modern fishing jetty. It is also possible that the hearing will not end in one day, but like the hearings on the coal expansion last year, may spill over to the next few days, as the arguments are not likely to end in a day.
The hearing has been caught in controversy even before it could begin, with Vasco residents earlier writing to the South Goa District Collector and the Member Secretary of Goa State Pollution Control Board requesting it be stopped and conducted in accordance with law in letter and spirit and sought a free and fair hearing in true spirit of public consultation envisaged under EIA Notification 2006. Yes, the hearing has to be fair, and everyone should be given the opportunity to have their say. They had even objected to the location of the hearing, that was away from the town, and not easily accessible to the stakeholders. They had demanded it be held within Vasco town, preferably at Tilak Maidan where the coal hearing had taken place last year.
That, however, is the least of the objections. The major one is why is the port expanding in proximity to the town and residential areas? This is not the practice worldwide, where such expansions happen away from habitation. Besides, Vasco is already a high risk area, often called a ‘ticking time bomb’ as it hosts some hazardous installations – ammonia and oil tanks, a naphtha pipeline, has a port, an airport and naval airbase in its vicinity and a railway station. It is quite a combustible town, and one can’t blame the residents for wanting to reduce the dangers. There have been accidents in the past, so the risk of repetitions cannot be ruled out.
For the residents of Vasco, today begins a battle to defend and protect the environment of their town, to fight against possible pollution, to ensure that the future generations will not face an unliveable environment, to defend their right to live their lives without a threat. This is not their first such fight. A similar one was fought last year when they opposed the port’s coal expansion plans. The battle-hardened survivors of that hearing will be seen in action at the forefront once again. It will not be an easy fight, but it will be a fight for their survival.
