PORVORIM: The opposition came down heavily on Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for diverting the coal pollution issue and blaming the Congress for allowing coal handling in Goa.
Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said the Chief Minister is misguiding people that Congress brought coal into Goa and not BJP. He said the issue is very serious and asked the CM not to make such allegation against the Congress.
The Chief Minister intervened and appealed to the MLA not to make such allegations on the floor of the House and stick to the issue.
Lourenco said that in 1998 coal handling started at MPT, and in 2001 BJP at the Centre amended the Ports Act and allowed privatisation. “I am citing this because, it was BJP who allowed the coal handling and it was only because of amendment that today coal handling is going on at MPT,” he said.
He said that in 2007 MPT proposed another coal berth but there was no movement till 2013, when Parrikar took over as Chief Minister. “How much coal is being used in Goa? All is transported, we are losing our health at what cost? Stop making allegations,” Lourenco said.
Ponda MLA Ravi Naik, who had moved the private members resolution on excessive coal handling at MPT, said that many sicknesses can spread due the pollution including asthma. He said that it is also affecting the marine ecosystem. “This is not a simple case of pollution, Chief Minister should visit and see the suffering of the people in the affected areas of the State,” he said.
Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro said that coal pollution has reached parts of Navelim constituency. “I feel pollution is due to transportation, I don’t know whether this transportation is covered or not. We cannot allow Goa to become a coal destination,” he said, and added that GSPCB should be more active to stop coal pollution and find its cause.
Former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said pollution existed in Mormugao even when he was the Chief Minister. “But now, we have to see to control the pollution. New wagons can be used for transportation,” he said.
Opposition Leader Chandrakant Kavlekar said that Mormugao is not the only place affected due to the coal handling but people in other areas also are affected. “Without going into who has given permission and who has brought coal in Goa, the government now should try to handle the pollution and control it in the interest of all Goans,” he said.
