PANAJI
The Goa State Pollution Control Board has granted a further two weeks to South West Port Ltd to respond to its notice after the latter complained that there was inadequate time to respond to the notice from the former.
The South West Port Ltd approached the Bombay High Court at Goa citing a grievance that the show-cause notice issued by the Goa State Pollution Control Board on November 30, 2017, which it received at Mumbai on December 1, 2017, gives extremely short time to respond.
The GSPCB in the show-cause notice had asked why stringent legal action should not be taken against SWPL, which includes revocation of the renewed consent to operate issued on July 21, 2017, and forfeiture of the bank guarantee and suspension/closure of all operations, including all cargo handling operations at the berths 5A and 6A, without any further notice.
A similar show-cause notice was sent to MPT for handling cargo in excess of permitted levels at berths 10 & 11 (general cargo). SWPL said it was given only one week time, out of which there were three holidays, to respond to the notice. It approached the court in a bid to impress upon GSPCB to grant four weeks to it to file a detailed reply and to grant personal hearing.
The High Court upon hearing the petition ruled that if the Board passes any order against SWPL, it shall not be given effect until the next date.
The Board received an e-mail from the MPT on July 25, 2017, on the traffic handling from April 2016 to March 2017 in respect of operation of berths by the SWPL which noted that coke and coal were handled in excess of the conditions set out in the consent.
The Board has also approached the JMFC at Vasco seeking criminal prosecution of officials of SWPL and MPT for violating the terms
and conditions of the consent to operate.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board has granted a further two weeks to South West Port Ltd to respond to its notice after the latter complained that there was inadequate time to respond to the notice from the former.
The South West Port Ltd approached the Bombay High Court at Goa citing a grievance that the show-cause notice issued by the Goa State Pollution Control Board on November 30, 2017, which it received at Mumbai on December 1, 2017, gives extremely short time to respond.
The GSPCB in the show-cause notice had asked why stringent legal action should not be taken against SWPL, which includes revocation of the renewed consent to operate issued on July 21, 2017, and forfeiture of the bank guarantee and suspension/closure of all operations, including all cargo handling operations at the berths 5A and 6A, without any further notice.
A similar show-cause notice was sent to MPT for handling cargo in excess of permitted levels at berths 10 & 11 (general cargo). SWPL said it was given only one week time, out of which there were three holidays, to respond to the notice. It approached the court in a bid to impress upon GSPCB to grant four weeks to it to file a detailed reply and to grant personal hearing.
The High Court upon hearing the petition ruled that if the Board passes any order against SWPL, it shall not be given effect until the next date.
The Board received an e-mail from the MPT on July 25, 2017, on the traffic handling from April 2016 to March 2017 in respect of operation of berths by the SWPL which noted that coke and coal were handled in excess of the conditions set out in the consent.
The Board has also approached the JMFC at Vasco seeking criminal prosecution of officials of SWPL and MPT for violating the terms
and conditions of the consent to operate.
