VASCO, JUNE 30
In another four years, coal dust pollution from the manually handled Berths No 10 and 11 located towards Vasco city could be a thing of past, as Berth No 10 will make way for logistic cargo handling and while Berth No 11 will be developed into a fully mechanised manner as per the Goa State Pollution Control Board norms.
Speaking to Herald, MPT Chairman Praveen Agarwal said coal dust pollution would come to a grinding halt after development of mechanised coal terminal at Berth No 11, which would be in a covered dome, and the conveyor belt as proposed terminal is designed by US-base consultant.
Development of new coal terminal at an estimated cost of Rs 425 crore at Berth No 11 on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis will accommodate the present manual handling coal and coke from Berths No 10 and 11.
The manual handling of coal on these berths had generated a lot of heat in the past for violating pollution control norms. However, it will be a respite to the people of port town.
Development of Berth No 11 on PPP basis would be the third coal terminal in Mormugao Port. In 2005, ABG had developed mechanised coal handling facility at Berth No 5A and 6A, while Berth No 7 would be developed by M/s Adani Port as concession agreement has already been signed with the port and berth would in operation by March 2013.
“With modern facility, not a speck of coal dust will arise during the operation, while retrieval of coal from ship would take place in a covered conveyor belt with bucket unloading and the entire coal stack would not be exposed to rain or wind,” said Agarwal.
“The entire mechanised coal terminal at Berth No 11 would be painted in white to inspire the confidence of people to themselves to judge the coal dust pollution level,” informed Agarwal.
“With development of coal terminal on approximate area of 75,000 sq mtrs, the present handling capacity would be enhance from 1.5 tonnes to 4 million tonnes to cater the need of power and steel industries in the region,” added Agarwal.
“The coal will be dispatched from rail and road and the project has been taken up as per the directive of Goa State Pollution Control Board and High Court guidelines,” he said.
“Once the coal terminal at Berth No 11 is ready, the operation of coal and coke handling from Berth No 10 will be shifted to the new terminal, while Berth No 10 will be utilised for containers and logistic industries, which is badly needed in Goa,” said Agarwal.
When asked whether mechanised terminal will curb coal dust, washed off in sea during monsoon, he said: “There is no doubt about it, the covered domed-shape terminal will not be exposed to rain or winds to stack coal,” said Agarwal.
When asked whether the development of new terminal on PPP basis would affect trade of Mormugao Port User Association, which comprises transporters, stevedores, ship chandlers, shipping agent and Barge Owner Association, etc, he said PPP based terminal does not take away the basic characters of the terminal, which is common users base.
“It will always remain as common-user terminal, the only difference is that it is developed, constructed and managed by a private entity, while common users and consumers will tend to benefit from the terminal,” he assured.
