Centre to decide on coal expansion project at MPT

21 Aug 2017

The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has submitted the minutes of the public hearing on expansion of coal handling at the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) and a detailed report on pollution levels around Vasco town to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for considering the application for renewal of consent to Jindal’s South West Ports.

A public hearing on the proposed expansion of Jindal’s two berths was held in May 2016 during which residents were largely opposed to the project. “The minutes of the public hearing has been forwarded to the MoEF&CC based on which the decision to renew will be taken,” said a senior GSPCB official.

The GSPCB has asked the two coal handling companies at MPT – Jindal and Adani – to install continuous ambient air quality monitoring stations at the berth. Both the companies have complied and the GSPCB will be monitoring the air quality online from these two stations post monsoon.

Meanwhile, the GSPCB has initiated a Source Apportionment Study through IIT, Mumbai for ascertaining the source of pollutants and their quantum at MPT and the surrounding areas of Vasco. The findings of the study will be available after a period of 18 months.

An earlier report on the ambient air quality monitoring (AAQM) at MPT, carried out by GSPCB revealed that AAQM standards exceeded the permissible limits on certain occasions.

Consequently, the two coal handling companies at MPT were asked to further streamline their coal unloading activities through measures. “Some of the air pollution control measures have to be implemented by the companies, as they are structural and need capital investment,” said the GSPCB source. Coal import at the MPT in 2016-17 is presently around 12.5 million tonnes. Jindal’s consent to operate for coal handling at MPT berth 5A and 6A expired on December 7, 2016, and the company has applied for renewal along with doubling in capacity to 15 million tonnes. The company is awaiting the environmental clearance for the expansion project. The consent to Adani Port is until January 31, 2018.

Recently, the government had said that the coal expansion project at MPT will be halted if it is found to be polluting.

Source-NT