Team Herald
VASCO: Chaotic scenes marred the 7th day of public hearing. The citizens were irked with Mormugao Port Trust’s (MPT) “false and contradictory replies”.
The 7th day of public hearing on Thursday was conducted to conclude the discussion on proposed dredging of approach channel by MPT and then to conclude the proceedings of other issues like proposed redevelopment of berth numbers 8, 9 and barge berth.
It took about five hours to complete reading of the minutes of the public hearing on the dredging proposal by MPT, while during the second half of the day, hearing for the proposed redevelopment of berth numbers 8, 9 and barge berth of MPT were taken up. As there were a huge number of people waiting to express their views, the hearing could not be completed. The same will now be heard on Friday.
In the first half, citizens were anxiously waiting to hear the MPT’s reply. However, they were upset with the outcome.
“As per the order, MPT was supposed to reply to the questions raised by us, however MPT officials present during the public meeting, selected few questions to reply and instead said replies to other queries would be given in writing. This is highly objectionable and in clear violation of EIA notification,” said fishermen leader Olencio Simoes.
He further added that “Their reply regarding dredging was contradictory. MPT said Chicalim and Sancoale bay was not contaminated, whereas NIO study clearly reveals that there is presence of zinc, cadmium and mercury and Zuari river is highly contaminated. Similarly, they (MPT) said that fishermen will not have any impact by dredging which is also incorrect. We are already facing problems with MPTs maintenance dredging. Likewise, MPT claimed that shell fish and specially the windowpane oyster is not consumed by many in Goa, however a 2014 report by fisheries department says 124 tonnes of windowpane oyster were caught. If not consumed by many, how come the figure of the “catch” is so high? All these replies by MPT are in violation of EIA notification,” Simoes added.
Upset with MPT’s “improper” replies, the citizens during second half started bombarding MPT officials with queries, seeking specific clarification on the proposed projects, however, most of their questions remained unanswered and it was a chaotic scene.
Rupesh Shinkre, a computer engineer, said, “MPT has been lying to the people. For the dredging project, MPT said there’s human habitation, while in re-development of berths project which requires dredging and is interconnected with second project of dredging, they said there’s no human habitation. How can MPT give such answers,” Shinkre wondered.
He told reporters that, “Today, MPT indirectly conceded that all these projects were inter-connected and inter-dependent. They have actually divided one project into three parts but they did not do their homework properly and they are now caught with so many lies. If one project fails, then other projects will not materialise.”
Also they(MPT) are trying to increase coal handling by 400 per cent by 2030, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi in UN forum spoke of investing in renewal energy, so these people are also contradicting PM Modi’s plans for country.
While showing photographic evidence, Edwin Mascarenhas questioned as to how MPT went ahead and demolished the mechanized ore handling plant at MPT without environment clearance granted to them. He said, “If MPT can take up demolition of plant without any approval then God knows what illegality they would do while dredging the rivers and with other proposed projects and hence permission should not be granted for any of these three projects proposed by MPT,” he demanded.
Several other speakers also grilled MPT while expressed their views against the proposed redevelopment of berths at MPT.
