Team Herald
VASCO: Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) Chairman I Jeyakumar has said that it is not the cargo but the way it is handled causes pollution.
Jeyakumar was commenting on the coal pollution and measures adopted by MPT to curtail the same.
“It’s not the cargo but the way we handle it matters. At existing terminal, constructing a dome is not possible due to lack of space. Still we have instructed the agencies to keep the coal wet and covered to avoid coal dust pollution during heavy winds. As far as the operation of coal in the new terminal is concerned, our tender terms clearly specify how the operation to be carried out under dome structure,” he said
He said that, “As per the readings obtained from the ambient air monitoring system, the source pollution standards show that pollution is well within the norms. We have also laid emphasis on proper covering of trucks, washing of wheels before leaving the port and that too operations should be during night.”
He informed that only bagged gypsum cargo would be allowed at the port.
To control wood dust pollution, Jeyakumar said, the MPT has asked the woodchips handling agency to reduce the height, cover the cargo completely and to evacuate the cargo fast. “We told them to increase its evacuation of woodchips cargo from 750 tons per day to 1000 tons per day. We are putting stringent condition so that evacuation of cargo takes place more during night,” he added.
