MARGAO
Conceding that the Sagarmala project report has envisaged handling of millions of tonnes of coal at the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) over the years, Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral said the consultant may have prepared the report for MPT, but it is for the government to decide what is good for the citizens of the State.
He said the Sagarmala project is a project prepared by the consultant for the entire country, including the MPT. “The Sagarmala volume I, II, III, IV and V, has proposed maximum use of the MPT to handle 54 million tonnes of coal over the years and 138 million tonnes of coal over the years. But, this is what the consultant has said in the report for the entire country. But, it is for the government to take a decision,” he said, adding that the government headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has decided that coal handling at the MPT should be restricted to the existing capacity.
To another question, the Environment Minister said that JSW will be told to build a dome at the MPT for existing coal handling once the CRZ 2011 is finalised.
When his attention was drawn to the notices issued by the GSPCB calling for special and closed rakes to transport coal to curb pollution, Cabral said the government can direct the Railways to build corridors at particular sections susceptible for coal pollution-like in the advanced countries.
“JSW has not built the dome for coal handling at MPT since the CRZ 2011 is not finalised yet. Once the plan is finalised they will have to put the dome in place for closed coal handling,” he said.
