MARGAO
Asserting that the dome under construction at the Mormugao Port will be used as a justification to increase the coal handling capacity at the port, Goa Forward chief Vijai Sardesai on Saturday feared that the dome is being used as an excuse to not reduce the coal handling capacity, but a justification to increase the coal handling capacity at the port.
On plans to make Goa a global cruise hub, Sardesai said if Goa is to truly become a global hub for cruise tourism, the port needs to handle more than 200 cruise ships and over 10 lakh passengers annually. He said in 2023, MPA handled only 32 international voyages and 40 domestic cruise ships, along with 1.2 lakh passengers.
Saying the government must give a clear timeline to ensure the growth of cruise at the port, he said without a timeline all the assurances given by the Minister for Shipping will remain hollow promises.
He demanded that the government prepare such a plan before the opening of the new cruise terminal at MPA in January 2025 or be prepared to face intense scrutiny over its incompatible coal hub and cruise hub policy.
Referring to the statements made by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Water Ways, Sabarnanda Sonowal on plans to make Goa a global cruise hub and the ongoing construction of a dome at the Mormugao Port to contain coal pollution, Sardesai said the Minister’s comments regarding JSW’s coal handling operations at MPA are a red herring.
“The issue of coal pollution at the MPA has been a matter of concern for Goans since 2017. During this time, Goa has seen three different ministers for Shipping, yet none have made any serious commitment to reduce coal handling at the port. On the contrary, in 2022, the Union Ministry of Environment granted clearance to JSW to increase the coal and other cargo handling capacity at berths 5A and 6A from 7.5 MTPA to 15 MTPA,” he said.
“The Minister probably thinks we Goans will change our stance on coal, just like some MLAs who were once part of the anti-coal movement but now support coal after defecting to the BJP. However, rest of us Goans will continue to oppose coal even after the dome has been constructed,” he added.
On the policy front, Sardesai said it is crucial for both the central and state governments to understand that coal handling operations and an international cruise hub do not coexist at the same port.
