MARGAO
The United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) has underscored the need to apply the “Precautionary Principle” with the coal transportation from Vasco having environmental harmful consequences as it is better to control now rather than to wait for inconvertible scientific evidence.
UGDP President, Dr Jorson Fernandes lambasted the government and its agencies for throwing caution to the wind solely to facilitate the transportation of coal, as it is imperative under the “Precautionary Principle” to take preventive steps in the face of uncertainty. Moreover, he said shifting the burden of proof is on the proponent of the activity who needs to explore wide range of alternatives to possible harmful effects and consequently, increase public participation in decision-making.
Making a reference to the study undertaken by IIT Kharagpur and the Goa-based NIO, Dr Jorson pointed out that mercury in oysters was found to be lower along the Mandovi River and higher as the river enters the Arabian Sea. “The finger of spillage of coal which has mercury as one of the heavy metal, given the scenario, has been pointed at the loading and unloading operations at MPT and utter negligence on the part of MPT in handling coal,” he added.
“It is under the “Precautionary Principle” that requisite measures ought to have been taken right from 2017, but under various pretexts coal spillage is not being tested by GSPCB which surprisingly dispatches it to some laboratory in Gadag under the garb that it does not have adequate lab facilities and consequently giving rise to doubts of the possibility of manipulating the lab results done in a private set up,” he said.
With the coal not being used in Goa, it is but natural that coal ought to have been carried to destinations closer to the steel plants in Karnataka, pointed out Dr Jorson, adding that according to a study done in USA, 300 kgs of coal is spilled from each wagon over a distance of 600 kms, which is pretty high.
He ridiculed the GSPCB for displaying sheer ignorance as can be ascertained from a reply to the RTI which stated that it had no data on spillage of coal either by road or by rail transportation.
“There are better alternatives for power generation today, and better ones than coal. We have wind mills, tidal energy, solar energy to cite some better range of renewable energy sources. With the government firm in transporting coal to help the crony capitalists, it is imperative that the authorities or the proponents of coal transportation keep the citizenry informed about mitigation measures like risk assessment, risk mitigation, risk communication,” he said.
Dr Jorson wondered if the environmental public hearing held on April 26, 2017 at Tilak Maidan, Vasco had the effect of throwing water on the duck’s back.
It was an eye-wash, he lamented and added that he had reiterated that there is mercury, lead, nickel, chromium and radio isotopes and other heavy and poisonous metals that get carried away with coal dust and spilled coal along tracks and by road and in the sea during loading and unloading operations.
