VASCO: Taking serious note of Herald’s Sunday report “GSPCB’s nod to MPT’s coal is on No Man’s Land’, Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenço has written a letter to the chief minister informing him that large part of the coal handling terminals in Morumugao Port Trust (MPT) has been reclaimed from River Zuari without any permission of its owner, the Government of Goa.
In his letter, he stated that the seabed, harbours and creeks below the high water mark, and of rivers, streams, lakes and tanks, and all canals and watercourses, and all standing and flowing water and all rights in or over the same or appertaining which include the coal terminals, are the properties of the State Government. “If true, it would be the biggest scam played by MPT on the people of Goa and their government. The lands in question belong to the people of Goa, the Government being its custodian,” Reginaldo wrote in his letter.
Demanding the Goa Pollution Control Board to give an explanation to the people of Goa as to how it cleared the projects without any due diligence whatsoever, Reginaldo asked what action it would take to revoke the consents and approvals.
“GSPCB has granted its consent to coal handling terminals at Mormugao Port without ascertaining the title of the project proponents to the land. If a common man goes before the Board, they want everything from Form I & XIV, Sale Deeds to Panchayat NOC. The common man is harassed and made to run from pillar to post by the Board when approached for consents and permissions,” Reginald pointed out.
In the letter, he called upon the chief minister to personally intervene in the matter and ensure that the law is upheld in letter and spirit, and initiate immediate steps to determine the extent of illegal reclamation and recover the possession of Government land. He requested the chief minister to immediately recover the profits earned by MPT and its concessionaires for activities conducted on the reclaimed land.
