The sudden closure of mines in the State and the halting ofcoal operation at berth 10 and 11 has had a ripple effect on the lives of manypeople, who were either directly employed with MPT or other ancillary units.
6,405 people directly attached to Mormugao Port Trust andPanjim port have been rendered unemployed after ban on mining and stoppage ofcoal operation at MPT.
Besides 2000 workers from five factories, which totallydepend on coal as a source of raw material for power generation, are also at thereceiving end after GSPCB revoked the consent for coal operation.
The recent Supreme Court order to stop all mining operationsin the state and Goa State Pollution Control Board’s order to revoke consentfor operation of coal at berth no 10 and 11 had direct impact on nine differentagencies engaged with port affiliated works and other ancillary units.
“Barge industry contributes nearly 14 crore to the statetreasury annually, besides other tax collected by central government agencies,”informed Atul Jadhav, Goa Barge Owner Association President.
“It’s a chain effect. Impact of ban would be visible shortlyafter mass retrenchment, since most of the agencies dealing in port weredirectly connected with mining and coal handling activity,” said ManubhaiThakar, of Hiralal Shipping, an oldest shipping house in Goa.
“Last year the shipping agency had handled nearly 600 shipsoff the total 1000 odds ships that entered in Goa’s waters,” said Thakar.
“We have been paying handsome salary to the staff for lastmany years. It is very disappointing to tell our staff that we won’t be able topay their salary during this Diwali festival,” said Vinod Parkot, who runs anoldest stevedore agency in Goa.
Other ancillary unit’s like the vegetable market, restaurants,hotels, fish market among others have also been hit hard and wore a desertedlook after activity at the MPT slowed down.
“We supply large quantity vegetable to lunch crew, shipchandlers, barge crew. However, for the last one month we have sufferedtremendous loss. If this continues, it would be difficult to meet with thedaily expenses,” said Prashant Narvekar, Vasco Vegetable Association Secretary.
