Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's attempts to bulldoze his way through the coal debate saying that Goa's electricity comes from coal and accusing anti-coal activists of being hypocrites does not sit well in the spirit of a democracy.
The Chief Minister, in his attempts to put the activists on the back foot, by throwing before them the power argument, is also trying to avoid being confronted on the real issues the coal activists are raising. The Congress is spot on when it says that neither it nor anybody has been consulted or even informed by the government to make Goa a coal hub. The Congress alleged that these plans have been kept secret not only from the people of Goa, but also from opposition political parties and no discussions were held in the Legislative Assembly on such a massive plan. It is only due to the vigilance displayed by common citizens that the facts of this huge plan have come to light.
That the capacity of Mormugao Port is being exponentially increased over the next decade can be found in the fine print of the Sagarmala Project Report and MPT's business plan which, while technically being accessible to those who search, wasn't spoken about or saw anybody in government draw attention to.
Will Parrikar also explain why the central BJP government tried to push ahead with the environmental clearance process for the three MPT expansion projects by seeking to bypass a public hearing? Can Parrikar deny that there is going to be coal expansion in Goa when the expansion project reports, including that of terminal capacity enhancement and capital dredging, clearly mention that they are for increasing the capacity of coal handling?
Parrikar's attempts to blame the Congress for initiating coal handling in Goa ring hollow, especially in light of his argument that it is essential for electricity generation, which indicate that he is clearly pro coal. By blaming the Congress, Parrikar also seeks to avoid questions on the steps the BJP government has taken to facilitate these industries which, documents reveal are also a fair few.
One cannot possibly deny that handling coal is inherently harmful. Given its nature, the particles remain suspended in air much longer than iron ore. There is also no denying that air pollution levels both at MPT and in Vasco da Gama are beyond permissible limits as recorded by the Goa State Pollution Control Board. However there are a list of mitigation measures that can be taken and have been recommended by the GSPCB. It is imperative that these be put in place not just for the sake of health of Goa's citizens but also for the companies themselves who have to win over not just Goa's citizens but possibly also the courts if they are are to be allowed to operate in the state.
Else, they will learn the hard lesson that several industrialists have learnt before. Disregard for the local populace will come at a huge price.
