Hundreds from across the State turn up for 3-day public hearing on MPT berth expansion plans; objections raised
VASCO
Hundreds of citizens from across the State raised their objections to the proposed expansion plans by the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) to increase the terminal capacity of Berth 5A and 6A for transportation of coal.
People raised their objections at the public hearing which was conducted at Tilak Maidan, Vasco on Wednesday and attended by a large number of people including Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha and others.
Putting forth his objections, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco challenged the officials and the government to go ahead with the proposed plans.
“It’s not only the crowd gathered here but the entire Goa is silently watching you. They are silent now, but will not tolerate for long and if things go out of hand, we will not hesitate to come down and stop handling of coal which is silently killing the Goans,” stated Lourenco.
“All the GSPCB officials are Goans, they should understand the problems faced by the Goans due to coal dust pollution, do not betray the trust of the people, failing which the people will take you to task,” he warned.
Pointing to the mistakes in the pollution report, Avinash Tavares of Fatorda said the coal handling agencies intentionally conducted the inspection during such months when the pollution density is low and will not show maximum level of pollution.
“The companies and the government have no value for the lives of Indian citizens. They should follow International Standards to control pollution, while the coal handling companies at the port are involved in following substandard pollution control norms,” said Tavares.
Judith Almeida from Colva expressed her anger targeting the Goa State Pollution Control Board saying that, “for years together they could not control pollution in mining belts, pollution by industries nor even by MPT, how will they control the pollution done by this expansion.”
Almeida said she is objecting on behalf of future generations as she doesn’t want them to die of chest and other ailments.
Savio Correia from Mangor Vasco said: “Jindal South Western Port is talking about planting trees as green belt, but the company has failed as record shows that for last 16 years from 2001-2017, not a single green belt has been created, which is in violation with the Environmental Ministry’s norms.”
Correia pointed that the EIA report shows that the company will require 7 KLD of water to sprinkle over the coal which will be obtained from the PWD. Correia said 7 KLD is equal to 7 lakh litres of PWD water which is a requirement for 1,000 families per day.
“So much water only to sprinkle over the coal stacking at the port without conducting any study on availability of water is absolute waste of potable water. The Ministry of Environment and Forest should strictly come against this proposal.” “The EIA report has been prepared considering the work at Berth 5A
and 6A only and has ignored coal handling operations are also done in Berth 7,” added Correia.
Objecting to the doubling of rail tracks, Siddhart Karapurkar said: “The presentation did not show the railway double tracking, which will lead to demolition of houses, division of villages, long traffic jams near the railway gates.”
Olencio Simoes, general secretary of Goencha Ramponkaracho Ekvott, raised objection on behalf of 16 fishing unions from the State and other national committee.
Other prominent leaders present were Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha, AAP convenor Elvis Gomes, Fr Maverick Fernandes, NCP president Jose Philip D’Souza and Sankalp Amonkar.
