the goan I network
VASCO
Addressing a public meeting at Janta Vachanalaya at Mormugao Municipal Council building, NGO convenor Adv T T Shreedharan claimed that expansion of berths at the port would lead to a huge increase in coal handling activity.
“At present, the limit of stacking the coal is 7 metres in height and with the enhancement of Berths 5A and 6A and re-development of Berths 8 and 9, the coal handling at the port will increase and its height will touch 25 metres,” said Shreedharan.
“The present height of coal stacks at the port is creating coal dust pollution much more than the permissible limits and once the height goes to 25 metres, the coal dust pollution will double.”
“Due to coal dust pollution, many citizens and children suffer from respiratory disorders and some citizens even suffer from lung ailments,” added Shreedharan.
“We have been fighting the case against coal dust pollution for the last 15 years and when the high court directed us to produce a doctor’s certificate to support our claim, none of the doctors from the port town helped us, as they were either serving as government doctors or as advisors to the MPT Hospital.”
“One doctor eventually gave us the required certificate to produce it before the court and acting on the certificate, the court had laid down many directions on how to handle coal at the berth and we managed to stop handling of coal at Berths 10 and 11. But to our surprise, MPT has created bigger giants,” informed Shreedharan.
Shreedharan clarified that the NGO was not against coal handling as it provides employment, “but we want companies to completely stop coal dust pollution by stacking it in dome-shaped structures.”
Shreedharan has requested people to come up with written suggestions and not to create ruckus at the public hearing convened by MPT. He also advised people to direct their questions at officials from the EIA and not to others.
