Polluter No. 1
Mormugao Port Trust
Goa’s biggest port and one of the country’s major ports.Exports over 60% of India’s iron ore and imports coal. Claims immunity from anyState government entity saying that all the areas are it’s operational areas.
Charges: Allowedover 3 million tons of coal to stack in open berths no. 10 and 11 near theheart of port town of Vasco throughout the year causing pollution of air fromOctober till June and pollution of water from July till September. Over 5million tonnes of coal is also being imported by Jindals at Berth no 5A and 6Awhile Adani is developing Coal Berth No 7 that will handle over 7 milliontonnes of coal per annum.
MPT is also accused of causing lung related disease ofenormous proportions that has not been neither surveyed nor recommended. Coalstacks are stored at heights higher than 5 metre. The coal stacks areimproperly covered. The wind screen is of not much help as the coal stacks arebigger than the screens.
MPT Chairman has not stopped coal import till the mechanisedcoal handling facilities are ready in October 2014 like what Chief MinisterManohar Parrikar has done for iron ore in the State
Defence: Settingup a 4 MMTPA totally mechanized coal handling facility by October 2014. MPT hasinstalled wind curtains; water is being sprinkled from time to time on thestacks of coal at berth 10 and 11, wagons and trucks carrying coal are coveredto curb pollution.
Polluter No. 2
Mormugao Port UsersAssociation
The MPUA is composed of Dempo owned Goa Carbon and Aparantbesides Redi based Tata Metalliks and Hospet based Mukund Steel, Kirloskars andKalyani Steels. They have been evasiveon their role of polluting Vasco’s air.
Charges:Offloading their coal import on MPT’s berth no 10, 11 near city centre. Nottransporting the coal imported in totality as soon as it is imported andoffloaded on these berths. Polluting the sea as the unretrieved coal stacks getwashed off into the sea by rain water. Have not intervened directly orinteracted with people of Vasco to address their concerns.
Defence: Haveengaged an MoEF-accredited air monitoring consultant who confirm that Vasco’sair ambient quality is healthy. Covering all trucks transporting ore. Shortterm measures including regular water sprinkling, covering of coal stack,erection of wind curtains and sweeping machine is engaged in cleaning the dustparticles.
Polluter No. 3
Goa State PollutionControl Board
Allowed consent to operate MPT for handling coal on the openberths that was nearest to the city centre. Has been empowered by High Court toensure that MPT does not pollute Vasco’s air. Have failed as a regulatory body.
Charges: Allowedoffloading of coal on open berths directly in line of sea breeze. Failed tocarry out round the clock monitoring of coal handling at MPT and raise alertsevery time an aberration happened. Not stopped coal handling operations everytime it found MPT’s coal handling operations suspect. No public hearings beencarried out by GSPCB to hear the citizen’s objections to pollution. Airmonitoring stations not been set up in heavy residential areas of Goa.
Defence: Have anair quality measuring station near berth no 10, 11. Carry regular monitoring ofthe air quality. Issue show cause notices if MPT does not adhere to guidelines.
