VASCO: The Goa Against Coal (GAC) on Saturday demanded that the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) lodge a criminal case against Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) and South West Port Limited (SWPL) for handling excess coal than permitted and for giving false data to the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
Recently, GSPCB issued a show cause notice to SWPL for handling 5.98 million metric tonnes of coal in excess of permitted capacity at MPT in 2016-17.
Speaking to Herald GAC convenor Custodio D Souza said, “Even during the public hearing held for MPT’s expansion plan, the issue of MPT and Coal handling agencies giving false information about their operations and about pollution readings was raised. But at that no one took us seriously then. Today GSPCB’s show cause notice to SWPL proved that we were correct.”
“We demand that GSPCB should now use its power and teach a lesson to MPT and SWPL by filing a criminal case against both these parties for giving false data about their operations to the State government. If possible, GSPCB should immediately revoke its consent given to MPT for handling of coal at Mormugao port,” he said.
D’Souza also threatened to approach NGT if GPSCB or the State government fail to take stringent action against MPT and SWPL within seven days. He further threatened to file a criminal case against both these agencies.
Vasco based environmental activist Adv Savio J F Correia, however, claimed that the GSPCB’s show cause notices are only to throw coal dust in the eyes of Goans in view of the upcoming Assembly session.
“I feel that this is another attempt to throw dust in our eyes in views of the upcoming assembly session. GSPCB is a caged parrot and a paper tiger put together. Several such letters have been issued in the recent past and we can guess where they must have landed up. By fudging data and concealing material facts, MPT and the coal-handling companies have lost whatever little credibility they had. They cannot be trusted anymore,” he said.
