The battle against coal pollution needs to move from meeting grounds, press conferences and statements and literally get on the tracks. Notwithstanding any argument or purported logic or even a spin in a section of the local media “depicting” airtight transportion of coal from MPT by a steel giant, these myths lie busted on the railway tracks of Shantinagar, Dabolim and Sancoale.
Herald’s reporter and photographer did the simplest of checks. They took to the tracks and walked along the path of the coal wagons for a bit of the stretch. The ‘evidence’ was startling and in painstakingly abundant. Amidst a steady trail of coal dust spilled along the tracks were blocks of coal. These railway tracks do not pass through isolated stretches but along areas of habitation. Our reporters heard alarming stories of how this dangerous bounty is scooped up by the locals for their own use.
This is how local the pollution story gets. The narrative of how coal is important for electricity and by association of progress and development gets totally skewed, when it is carried in such a slip shod manner spilling coal along the route of its journey causing acute health hazards. The narrative has to be based on just one underlying question. Is the coal which is carried along the railway tracks (as well as by road or water) done in a manner in which there is no spillage and pollution? And the answer to that is no. And if that is the case can there be any further debate on whether pollution is being caused due to coal transportation?
To start with there should be an absolute ban on coal transportation till there is zero spillage of coal. And for that, tangible measures have to be taken and evidence of zero spillage should be presented to an independent team of ground experts who will inspect a series of limited trial transport runs.
The reaction to evidence of spillage published by Herald has been this. Deputy Collector Mormugao has written to the Mormugao Port Trust asking the port authorities to take “precautionary measures” and not to allow any spillage of coal while transportation by road or by rail.
This is akin to sending a “gentle reminder” to a habitual offender that he should desist from causing multiple offences. For so long no precautionary measures have been taken. The Herald report depicted how the spillage of coal along the railway tracks was high with coal cubes lying along the tracks.
The deputy collector’s quote to Herald is interesting “I have read the Herald report on spillage of coal along the tracks. Since the issue of serious as the same leads to pollution, I have written a letter to MPT to take all precautionary measures while transporting coal cargo from port. I have also given directions to the MPT to comply with the directions of railway ministry and to ensure that the coal cargo is covered properly so that any spillage does not take place on the tracks while transportation.”
The intent of the Deputy Collector is commendable. But the irony lies in the fact that it took a newspaper report for a Deputy Collector to send a letter for MPT almost as if coal spillage is a new occurance. And again the Deputy Collector did his job but it is the Pollution Control Board which needs to immediately order a total stoppage of coal transportation without any further ado or delay.
As things stand spilled coal simply lies along the tracks. It’s easy and dangerous pickings for the locals. On November 20 Herald’s photographer took pictures of the spillage. Three days later he went back to get the same picture. Team Herald collected one plastic bag full of coal. And there was no fresh movement of wagons in that period.
For starters the discussion on coal pollution needs to be narrowed down. What happens on the side of the tracks and roads and in the villages needs to be seen and realised. If coal cannot be transported without choking people with such nonchalant spillage, it cannot be transported. End of story.
