Vasco (Goa) The union shipping minister Nitin Gadkari today cautioned that the continued losses at the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) located in the town of Vasco, Goa might result in the shutdown of this facility in the State resulting in large-scale unemployment.
The MPT has been in the crisis following stoppage of the coal handling at its berths due to the protests and now the current crisis on the mining industry has also affected the work there as it used to handle the ore cargo.
“The port (Mormugao Port Trust) has run into the loses this year. During this financial year there is a los s of Rs 25 crore. Now you have to decide whether to run the port or not,” Gadkari told a gathering in Vasco town after launching the inland ferry service between the port town to Old Goa in North district near Panaji.
“If you keep on opposing everything then from where we would be able to support the port? If port does not get any consignment then the port will have to closed,” he said indirectly referring to the protests against the coal handling at MPT due to the issues of pollution.
“The media, ngo, people of the state and political leadership have to decide whether we should continue work at port or not. If there are loses then it is difficult to give payments without any work,” he said.
Gadkari said that the union government wants that the employment of the people are maintained. “Everyone should come together and unitedly take a unilateral stand on sensitive issues like this. This will also result in development of the state and also protection of environment,” he added.
Manohar Parrikar-led government bowing to the protests had opposed the handling of the coal at MPT which had leased out its facility to two companies, Adani Murmugao Port Terminal Pvt Ltd and South West Port Ltd.
The current mining crisis has also impacted the MPT’s output as the ore was exported outside the country through the port.
Taking a dig at civil society, Gadkari said “there are some people who are against every thing.”
“We need to think what will happen, if economy comes to a standstill. We should have integrated approach for development and environment,” he added.
The minister said there is no doubt that we have to protect the environment. “Ecology and environment is the highest priority at the same time we have to think about the poor people for whom we need to generate employment,”Gadkari stated.
“Any eccentric thinking is not useful for the country neither for the society. We should find out integrated approach for that without compromising with ecology and environment,” he commented.
