Dona Paula (Goa): Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan today refused to comment to the objection to the coal handling facility in Goa claiming that “there can’t be any specific reaction to the issues pertaining to the particular state.”
A section of people is opposing coal handling facility in Goa’s Mormugao Port Trust claiming it to be polluting the port town of Vasco. State’s main opposition Congress party too demanded stoppage of coal handling at the port.
“There cant be any specific reaction to the issues pertaining to the particular state. They are general issues,” Vardhan said responding to a question on opposition to coal handling at MPT during his visit to Goa today.
The minister said that the coal is required to take care of the energy needs of the country.
“The country is very gradually and very strictly moving towards ensuring that by the year 2022, we convert ourselves into producing 175 GW of clean energy,” he said.
“Every state, of course including Goa, has to fulfill the responsibility and it is fulfilling its responsibility in that direction,” the minister added.
Meanwhile, Congress party today demanded that the State government should stop creating coal-related infrastructure and existing handling in the State.
“ We demand that all coal-related infrastructure projects in Goa be stopped immediately and that a high-level inquiry is conducted into the corruption and misuse of power by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and other BJP leader to benefit few corporates,” Congress Legislative Party spokesman Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco told reporters in Panaji today.
“It is clear that the entire State of Goa is willing to stand up and defeat the sick plans made by BJP to destroy Goa for the benefits of their corporate masters and we urge the government to respect and bow down to the people of Goa, than then serving private corporations hell-bent on destroying the state,” he said.
Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has leased out its capacity to two companies – Adani Murmugao Port Terminal Private Limited (AMPTPL) and South West Port Limited (SWPL).
Adani handles about 5.2 million tonnes of coal annually and Jindal, 7.2 million tonnes per annum.
