Municipal council in Goa decides to protest

14 November 2016

The Mormugao Municipal Council has decided to agitate against the coal-handling issue, which is causing massive pollution in the port town. The decision was taken during the council meeting.

The handling of coal issue at the Mormugao Port Trust was raised by councillor Shraddha Amonkar during ‘any other business’.

Amonkar said, “It has been noticed that though the council, when formed a year back, had come down strongly on the coal pollution issue in the city, eventually nothing happened. After monsoon, the pollution has increased.”

She questioned chairperson Deepak Naik on the action that the Goa State Pollution Control Board is likely to take or has taken.

Naik while speaking on pollution, said, “It is very unfortunate that despite so many meetings and warnings, the concerned authorities are not taking precautions.” He requested the council and the public to support him when he comes out openly on the streets against the coal pollution issue.

He told TOI, “I have personally inspected the MPT berth. The inspection revealed that JSW is handling the coal in a systematic way and 98% of their coal is transported through rail. Hardly 2% of the coal gets transported via road.”

Naik added, “It is the Adani Company that has created the mess for the Vascoites.”

Source – ET