PANAJI
The Goa State Pollution Control Board has filed two separate criminal complaints before the Judicial Magistrate First Class at Vasco da Gama against Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) as well as officials of South West Port Ltd for violating the terms of the consent for coal handling.
The first complaint was filed against MPT for excess handling of material at its berth 10 and 11 and excess handling of coal by SWPL at its berths 5A and 6A for the years 2012-13, 2014-15 and 2015-16.
In its complaint, the Board has sought that officials of MPT, as well as JSW, be tried and punished for violating the conditions of the Board's
consent issued to it by the Board.
On Wednesday 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 30 November 2017, received by the Petitioner at Mumbai on December 1, 2017, gives extremely short time to respond.
The GSPCB had through its notice, asked to show cause as to 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 berths 5A and 6A, without any further notice.
SWPL was given only a week's time, out of which there were three holidays, to respond to this show
cause notice.
SWPL had sought the High Court's direction, commanding the GSPCB to grant four weeks' time to the petitioner to file a detailed reply and to grant a personal hearing to the petitioner.
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."
