VASCO: Taking serious note of the rising coal pollution in the port town, the concerned citizens of Vasco and Mormugao, along with few political leaders, have joined hands and formed Mormugao Against Pollution (MAP), to fight against coal pollution in Vasco.
To start with, the members of MAP on Thursday submitted a memorandum to the Goa State Pollution Control board (GSPCB), as well as Mormugao Deputy Collector Sachin Rana, IAS, asking both these authorities to initiate steps and stop coal pollution in Vasco within a period of 30 days, failing which MAP has threatened to kick-start mass protest in the port town.
Addressing the media after submitting the memorandum to Deputy Collector, MAP President Advocate Chetan Palekar said that, “The air quality in Vasco and surrounding areas is deteriorating day by day due to improper handling of coal, bauxite and wooden chips by the Mormugao Port Trust, Adani and Jindal companies operating from MPT. Sadly, despite knowing well of the rising pollution in Vasco, they have turned a blind eye.”
Sankalp Amonkar, another MAP member, alleged that vehicles transporting coal and other products from the MPT are overloaded, as a result coal and other products spill out on roads, which, he said, add to pollution.
“Today, due to increase in air pollution, the citizens of Vasco breathe air containing coal which has direct effect on their health. The people, specially children in this area, are suffering from lung-related disease,” he claimed.
NCP Goa State President Jose Philip D’Souza, another MAP member, alleged that the companies that are handling coal at MPT “are not bothered about the lives of people. They keep polluting the environment in the name of business which cannot be permitted under any circumstances.”
If the coal pollution keeps increasing, then, it would be difficult to live in Vasco and surrounding areas, D’Souza said adding, “We have given 30 days time to GSPCB as well as to Mormugao Deputy Collector to stop the pollution, failing which we will come out on streets.”
