VASCO: Tension prevailed at Mormugao on Thursday after a large number of residents and activists tried to block the movement of coal-laden trucks out of the gates of the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA).
The protestors demanded that the movement of heavy vehicles, mostly coal-laden trucks, leaving from Gate 9 be stopped, and that these vehicles be asked to use the four-lane port connectivity bridge instead of the roads.
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The Vasco police and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel rushed to the site and tried to disperse the crowd. Mormugao DySP Salim Shaikh warned the protestors not to take law into their own hands and that a meeting with Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar, Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar and other authorities will be held, to address their demands.
Social activist Xencor Polji said that the transportation of coal and bauxite was causing dust pollution, leading to health problems for the people of the port town. He said that despite protests by the people, companies are bringing coal in large bulkers called capesize ships. He alleged that dredging work was done to accommodate/dock these capesize ships at the port.
Polji added that spillage on the road during transportation was causing accidents and that the MPA and the Mormugao Municipal Council were not taking any remedial measures.
Another activist Suraj alias Balan Chodankar said that the government had built the new flyover at an estimated cost of Rs 500 crore to ease traffic in the port town, but the citizens were still subjected to hardships due to coal transportation.
He pointed out that the transportation of coal through the town was stopped for the last two years, but they had now suddenly resumed operations. Asserting that the people of Mormugao would not tolerate the pollution of their town, the protestors demanded that the Department of Transport and the Vasco Traffic police must intervene and stop heavy vehicular traffic from plying their roads immediately.
