VASCO: On the eve of first death anniversary of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, Goa Against Coal (GAC) recollected his consistent stand that no expansion of coal handling capacity be permitted at Mormugao Port until air pollution levels are brought within permissible limits.
GAC members during a press conference on Monday, here, placed on record the two letters dated August 14, 2017 and January 17, 2018 dispatched by Parrikar to then union minister for environment, forests and climate change Dr Harsh Vardhan, wherein Parrikar had expressed his strong reservations to the proposals for enhancing cargo-handling capacity at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in view of the deteriorating air quality reported by Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
Referring to the Expert Appraisal Committee’s (EAC) recommendation of South West Port Ltd’s (SWPL) proposal, Parrikar at that time had observed that due consideration had not been given to the proceedings of the public hearing and the recommendations of the GSPCB made in its letter dated July 12, 2017.
“The existing cargo handling facility needed to be further streamlined and handling in closed shed/dome needed to be adopted. He had noted that the EAC had depended on information furnished by the project proponents rather that concerns of the citizens expressed at the public hearing and the recommendations of GSPCB,” said GAC members.
Further GAC stated that they feel sad while noting that former chief minister Manohar Parrikar’s farsightedness and dreams of a clean and green Goa have been forgotten and conveniently pushed under the carpet by his successors and so-called admirers.
“Leave alone central ministers who have ignored fervent pleas of one of the tallest leaders of the ruling party, even the GSPCB has overruled Parrikar and its own recommendations by enhancing the permitted handling capacity of the two coal terminals at MPT earlier this month,” claimed GAC members.
On a concluding note GAC members opined that it is high time that Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral and others at the helm should wake up and smell the coal and desist from singing praises of Manohar Parrikar.
“Instead, they should work to ensure that late Parrikar’s vision of a pollution-free MPT is achieved, for the sake of his memory and the suffering children of Vasco, Mormugao and surrounding areas,” GAC added.
