Team Herald
VASCO: Power Minister and Mormugao MLA Milind Naik has said that he is ready to lead an agitation along with the people of Mormugao if coal pollution attains serious proportions in Vasco. He however said if things are under control then he would not go against the law.
Addressing the on the sidelines of Liberation Day celebration at Tilak Maidan in Vasco, he said, “I stand by my statement that if coal pollution is on the rise then I will lead the agitation to stop coal handling at MPT. However, if they (coal handling units) have been taking all due precautions to keep pollution under control then I cannot go against the law.”
“Also many people may not know a fact that the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) officials have installed a pollution monitoring device just above my house and every day the same is been monitored and that is why I am keeping quiet as the machine does not show signs of any pollution. However, if the is same found exceeding then I will definitely lead the protest against coal pollution” he said. Naik said he does not have any relations with coal companies and won’t keep any relations with them even in future.
“People may talk or think anything, but I want to clarify that I have no relation with these coal companies operating at MPT and whatever these companies have done so far in Mormugao constituency, they have done so using CSR funds and not for any other reason, so for taking action against them will not be a difficult task. Only thing I need some data to prove that coal pollution has increased and then see what I will do”, he added.
Taking a dig at political parties who have launched extensive campaign against coal pollution in port town, Naik said, “Any party or individual has any proof of pollution, then they can very well come to me and as a representative I will take the lead against coal pollution. I feel the ongoing protest against coal pollution by a political party is merely because the Assembly election is fast approaching. I want to ask these parties, as to whether coal pollution recently started, whether there was no pollution in last four years. Where were they in last four-and-half years and why they woke up now just before elections”.
A cultural programme on various themes to mark Liberation Day was also presented by the school students from different schools in Mormugao.
