Offshore coal handling down, MPT tells pollution board

11 December 2017

The Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) in its reply to Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) said that cargo handling at mooring dolphins has been drastically reduced and, as a result, it is highly improbable that it was the reason for increased coal pollution levels . MPT also welcomed suggestions from the pollution board to improve upon its present operations.

“This year, we have handled only 1.5 million metric tonnes of cargo,” chief engineer, MPT, L A Mathew, said in his written reply to the pollution board.

On November 30, the pollution board had directed MPT to submit details of pollution control measures taken and details of impact assessment at mooring dolphins by December 6 so that it could take a final decision on whether to allowing MPT to handle coal at the offshore site.

Mathew said that the board’s conclusion that ambient air quality standards have increased is based on the readings of equipment located at MPT’s fire station.

“While we maintain our stand that these are not ambient reading, but source readings, your contention that handling coal in the open at mooring dolphins 500m from the shore is a major contributing factor for high air ambient quality monitoring (AAQM) levels in Vasco is not true since no coal was handled in the month of November and December 2016 at the mooring dolphins,” the MPT reply stated, adding that, similarly, no coal was handled at the mooring dolphins in February and March 2016 and AAQM readings for April and May 2016 taken at the Fuse Call Office, Vasco, was within permissible limits.

Mathew said that, world over, water mode of handling and transporting coal is most preferred since it relieves pressure on infrastructure on the land side as also reduces pollution substantially.

MPT said that ships are loaded/unloaded through use of ship gears with grabs offloading into barges or vice versa. “There is no multiple handling or transportation involved in such operations and therefore the possibility of dust generation is very remote. Any more practical suggestions to improve upon the present operations can be implemented by MPT,” he added.

Stating that the facility has been operational for more than 15 years, Mathew in his reply stated that the mooring dolphins are used exclusively by industries within Goa, which contributes substantially to the state GDP and generates local employment. “Therefore it is requested to grant the consent to operate at the earliest,” Mathew said.

Source: TOI