PANJIM: In a setback to the anti-coal activists and relief to the coal handling units at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has discharged the show cause notices issued to Jindal-owned South West Port Limited (SWPL) and Adani Ports, considering the Phase I report of Source Apportionment Study which concluded that “coal handling at MPT is not a major contributor to pollution level that has been observed at Vasco town”.

While discharging the show cause notices, the Board also decided to direct the coal handling units to pay penalty on line with polluter pays principle for exceeding the Particulate Matter (PM), in the first week of February. The units will also have to install CCTV cameras at the site for real time viewing of pollution control measures adopted by them.

Herald was the first to report on the findings of the Source Apportionment Study conducted by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. The report observed possible mixture of other local sources leading to pollution.

GSPCB had earlier this week issued show cause notices to SWPL and Adani seeking replies as to why the consent issued to them under the Air and Water Pollution Acts should not be revoked for exceeding the level of PM in Vasco in the first week of February.  The units had been directed to suspend all coal handling operations with immediate effect. 

During the Board meeting held on Thursday, Dr Sethi from IIT-Bombay submitted the Phase I report of the study and also made a representation. The reports of site inspection conducted by GSPCB of SWPL, Adani, MPT and the readings of Air Quality Ambient Monitoring system was also placed during the meeting.

The coal handling units and MPT also made their representation during the meeting. 

“The IIT-Mumbai report concluded that coal handling is not a major contributor to PM level that has been observed at Vasco,” GSPCB chairman Ganesh Shetgaonkar told Herald after the meeting. 

“On considering the findings of the report, Board decided to discharge the show cause notices issued to them on certain conditions,” he said, and added, “Condition one is that the unit will have to pay penalty on line with polluter pays principle, as decided by the Board during its last meeting.” 

Shetgaonkar said the Board also decided to amend the Consent to Operate granted to the units in order to include some stringent pollution control measures like installation of CCTV cameras for real time viewing of pollution control measures adopted by the coal handling units.