Team Herald
VASCO: Reacting to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari’s statement that continued losses at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) might result in its shutdown, the citizens, anti-coal and environmental activists from the port town have termed the minister’s statement as “blackmailing” tactic.
“He is attempting economic “blackmailing” tactic. Actually, he must answer to a few of our questions as to where have the profits gone, which MPT made by illegally handling double the sanctioned quantity of coal by violating the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) norms. Has this money been misappropriated by the MPT management instead of filling the ports coffers?” Gadkari is trying to fool the people of Goa. But we Goans are apt enough to read between the lines,” alleged Cyril Fernandes, Chicalim-based social and environmental activist
Fernandes said, “He is advised not to beat around the bush but tell MPT in no uncertain terms that it is time to adhere to the Central government’s 5th Five Year Plan and stop handling dirty and hazardous cargo and shift to clean cargo and cruise tourism. If MPT and Gadkari can’t do this, leave the Mormugao port to us and we will show how the port can be used for healthy port activity for sustainable Goa’s development. Goans have the ability and we are doing so worldwide.”
Anti-coal activist Sanjay Redkar said, “It’s a statement which is threatening and made to misguide Goans. If MPT has exceeded more than twice the quantity of coal, where has the money gone? Or is the MPT administration not managing the business properly, or it is the negative effect of privatisation,” he asked.
Vasco-based environmental activist Advocate Savio J F Correia, an engineer by profession, claimed that Gadkari has been misinformed about the present status of Mormugao Port.
He said he personally saw MPT’s balance sheet of last three years and found that the port’s financial position excellent and hence these empty threats are only to “blackmail” public, port employees and the government.
“By privatisation and by laying emphasis on coal handling, MPT has “killed” the goose that was laying golden eggs and it is time for MPT to look at alternate greener cargo to be handled at port. What MPT earned by handling access coal cargo in one year is equal to what MPT had earned in 3 to 4 years. So their statement on loss or cutting down salaries is an empty threat and absolutely baseless as coal handling has been temporarily stopped,” Correia added.
While citizens and social activists have started accusing Gadkari for “blackmailing” the people of Goa, the Rozgar Bachao Abhiyan (RBA,) an association of people from Mormugao Port fraternity including the employees and workers, their dependents and other port users including transporters, stevedores, vessel agents and others has claimed that Gadkari made such statement after deep thinking and has pointed out serious repercussions that might happen, if port shuts down.
“In fact before Gadkari could make this statement, we had already raised similar concerns during our peaceful agitation held last month. We had said that if port continues to face losses due to stoppage of coal handling then MPT might shutdown. Now, after a union minister made the same statement it only means that he hinted at the possibility of port closure if the port continues to face losses. It is now for the people to understand his statement deeply. Also following public outcry, the port has taken various stringent measures to further control pollution and now people should allow the port to continue with its operations,” RBA convenor Shekhar Khadapkar said.
Edwin Mascarenhas, member of Goa Against Coal(GAC) said “If Gadkari can tell Indian Navy to leave Mumbai and go to the Indo-Pak border just because the Navy opposed his pet project of a floating hotel in Mumbai, what can we expect from this Minister, who is batting for the Coal Mafia? If MPT can’t manage it’s affairs after handling almost three times the quantity of Coal than was permitted, than it’s better they wind up and hand over the Port to State Government,” he claimed
