MINUTES OF EAC
>> The Committee deliberated upon the information provided by the project proponent and including earlier submissions
>> After being satisfied, the committee recommended project for grant of environmental and CRZ clearance as per specific conditions
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CONCLUSION
>> This paves the way for MoEF to grant environmental clearance for the expansion.
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PANAJI: The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forests has yet again granted its recommendation for the expansion of capacity at berths 5A and 6A at Mormugao Port operated by JSW’s South West Port Ltd.
The EAC in its 26th meeting held on 14-15 December last year, on being satisfied with the submissions of the project proponent recommended the project for grant of environmental and CRZ clearance with stipulated specific conditions along with other environmental conditions.
However, on account of representation received from Government of Goa, it was decided in the Ministry to keep the recommendation on hold and the EAC referred the proposal to EAC for further reconsideration.
“The Committee deliberated upon the information provided by the project proponent and including earlier submissions. The committee after being satisfied with the submission of the above, recommended the project for grant of Environmental and CRZ Clearance as per the specific conditions,” the minutes of the EAC held between November 26-28 have revealed.
This paves the way for the Ministry of Environment and Forests to grant an environmental clearance for the expansion.
The committee has stipulated a condition that the project proponent conduct source apportionment study to identify and quantify sources of pollution from individual activities being carried out in the project and implement the findings/recommendations of the study relevant for the protection of environment in the area to the satisfaction of State Pollution Control Board.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board had written to the MoEF & CC that no environmental clearance be granted unless a source appropriation studies which will indicate which of the two major handlers -- JSW or Adani -- are responsible for how much of pollution. These studies were not part of the original terms of reference of the Environment Impact Assessment Studies for MPT’s expansion plans.
The chief minister made public his letter written on August 20, 2017 in which he wrote to the Union Minister for Environment Dr Harshvardhan that “it would not be prudent to consider the request made by South West Port for increasing the coal handling capacity until the levels of particulate matter in the Vasco city are within the stipulated standards”.
SWPL has proposed to deploy highly mechanised and efficient environment friendly material handling systems so that the cargo handling capacity at the berth is increased consequently, in the process reducing environmental pollution by retrofitting state of art latest dust entrapment systems to meet its demand.
SWPL currently handles mainly coal but also limestone and export of steel at berth 5A & 6A by cranes, ship unloaders and wagon loading system.
SWPL claims that after modernisation, the consequential capacity enhancement shall be achieved by deploying highly mechanised and efficient environment friendly material handling system, and by enhancing the existing conveyor speed, and improving the rake loading turnaround time through operational efficiency, thus, making the evacuation and despatch more efficient.
The total cargo to be handled is expected to go up to 12 to 13 MTPA of bulk (consisting of coal, iron ore, limestone, dolomite, bauxite, mineral ores and other miscellaneous cargo), and about 2 MTPA of unitised cargo (consisting of steel bars, coils, flats and plates, and other steel products).
The total cargo handling capacity hence is expected to increase to about 14 to 15 MTPA. This only includes handling at SWPL’s berths and does not include the coal handled at Adani or the coal handled directly by MPT at the mooring dolphin.
