VASCO: Power Minister and Mormugao MLA Milind Naik has said that he would stand by the people on the coal pollution issue if it is proved to exist.
“Overall if general public has any complaint with regards to coal pollution, if people think that there is need to take action against the two major companies presently handling coal at MPT and if it is proved that the pollution due to coal has exceeded its limits then I will surely stand by with my people,” Naik said on Tuesday.
He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Swach Bharat Abhiyaan initiated by him and JSW’s South West Port Ltd at Headland Sada. He made the statement referring also to the recent MMC decision to stop coal transportation through the town’s roads.
JSW’s South West Port Ltd General Manager Adiveppa Kamble claimed his company does not contribute to coal pollution in the port town. “JSW’s South West Port Ltd is not a new company handling coal at MPT as our operations are going on for several years. Today we have mechanised coal handling units and we don’t transport our cargo through road as 100 per cent of our coal cargo moves out through rail,” Kamble said.
Naik also claimed he is unaware of pollution due to coal handling operations at MPT. However, on December 24, 2015, MPT and its coal handling terminal Adani and Jindal had come under the scanner for increasing pollution in Vasco for which Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had issued show cause notices to all three parties, including Adani, JSW and MPT asking why consent to operate should not be revoked or rejected for causing pollution.
In three different show cause notices GSPCB slammed MPT, Adani Mormugao Port Terminal Private Limited and South West Port limited – Jindal, for violating pollution norms. In all three cases, the Board had observed that on 14 of 24 occasions, the air pollution was found to be above the permissible limit.
mentioned in the Consent to Operate granted for operation-cum-handling of coal facilities.
In a reply to a question tabled by Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida in the recently concluded Assembly session, GSPCB had confirmed that the readings in the ambient air quality units installed in the port town show pollution levels exceeding permissible limits.
