Facing mounting protests over coal pollution in Vasco, Chief Minister Pra mod Sawant on Wednesday acknowledged concerns over coal handling at the Mormugao Port Authority and ordered a review of the import of low-grade coal through the port. Sawant chaired a meeting with MLAs from Mormugao, Vasco and Dabolim constit uencies after residents from Vasco met him earlier and strongly opposed coal oper ations in the port town. During the meeting, the Chief Minister said he had asked the Goa State Pollution Control Board to examine the environmental impact of low-grade coal, particularly imports from Indonesia, and submit a detailed report. “I have asked that the bringing of low-grade coal be halted.
The Pollution Control Board has been asked to instruct Adani not to bring low-grade coal,” the Chief Minister said. The government also in dicated that if the report confirms environmental concerns, the import of such coal could be stopped. It was further decided that the overall quantity of coal handled at the port will not be increased. Dabolim MLA and Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho said pollution in Vasco could be reduced if coal handling in frastructure is upgraded, suggesting that the operator install a dome structure over the coal handling area. “As far as coal pollution in Vasco is concerned, Adani has to be advised to install a dome so that there is no pollution. Pollution is caused because low-grade coal is brought. Ear lier, there was not so much pollution,” Godinho said, adding that the quantity of coal handled at the port should remain within the previously permitted limits. Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar also raised concerns about the import of low-grade cargo and demanded that it be stopped immediately. “Low-grade cargo is coming and it should be stopped im mediately. Instructions have been given not to bring such cargo.
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The Chief Minister has also asked them to install a dome,” Amonkar said, pointing out that while another op erator has already installed a dome for coal handling, Adani continues to handle coal in the open. Vasco MLA Daji Salkar said the low-grade coal being im ported from Indonesia is causing greater pollution than the coal previously sourced from Australia. He said the Chief Minister has assured that action will be considered after re viewing the pollution control board’s report. Residents who met the Chief Minister earlier said the problem has wors ened over the years as coal volumes increased. “Coal handling started in 2002, but there was no problem then. Over time, however, coal handling increased. People re mained silent because they thought it would create employ ment. However, companies took advantage and increased coal handling manyfold,” a Vasco resident said. The meeting comes amid rising public anger in the port town, with residents insisting that Vasco cannot continue to bear the environmental cost of expanding coal operations.
