PANJIM: The work order for the removal of the grounded ship Nu-Shi Nalini was issued on Friday to Holland-based Marine Masters, but Mormugao Port Trust has advertised inviting bids for e-auction of the contaminated naphtha on the web-portal www.mstcindia.co.in.
As per the auction notice, MPT has invited bids for disposal of contaminated naphtha from the ship, and states that the bidder shall quote on lumpsum basis, only.
Further, MPT does not give any guarantee on the quantity of the ‘contaminated’ naphtha. “The quantity may vary. However, port/MSTC will not guarantee the quantity,” it says.
The inspection dates have been given from November 22 to 26 and the bids open on November 29, 12 pm to 4 pm. The pre-bid EMD for foreign companies is USD 14,500 while for Indian bidders is Rs 10 lakh, and the last date for submitting bids is November 28.
Further, what is pertinent is that the notice says that the successful bidder should deploy their own vessel for ship-to-ship transfer with all necessary and required accessories, equipment, manpower, etc within four days, strictly, from the date of intimation by MPT.
NGO ‘Goa First’ has objected to the auction initiated by MPT terming it ‘illegal’ which they claimed it is to dispose of the ‘pure’ naphtha as ‘contaminated’ naphtha.
Goa First’s Parshuram Sonurlekar submitted his objection letter to the Vasco Mamlatdar and has demanded strict action against MPT and other concerned multi-departmental officials.
Sonurlekar has objected to the auction alleging it to be an illegal sale, and alleged that MPT has not disclosed any document/sample reports, which indicates that the cargo is contaminated.
He says the owners of Nu-Shi Nalini have filed an affidavit with the Bombay High Court stating that the vessel has ‘pure’ naphtha till date and the Chief Minister has also said during various press conferences that Goa State Pollution Control Board has also said the vessel has ‘pure’ naphtha.
Efforts to reach out to MPT officials for their reaction proved futile. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was also unavailable for comments.
