Porvorim (Goa) Chief minister Manohar Parrikar told the House that government will write to the union ministry of environment, forest and climate change urging them not to allow the expansion of coal import projects in the State.

The issue was raised on the floor of the House by Congress legislator Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco who feared that the state government was trying to covert port city of Vasco into coal hub.

Parrikar said that since pollution in certain parts of Vasco had increased the permissible level State government has already asked MPT to stop importing all material.

“We have reduced the current capacity by 25 per cent and we are prosecuting those who are exceeding the capacity. The prosecution procedure has already initiated,” the chief minister said.

He stated that the State Pollution Control Board has already written to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informing them about the problems faced due to current coal handling activity.

“State government will also write before July 31 to the union ministry informing them about the objections to the expansion of the coal handling capacity,” Parrikar said.

The Chief Minister said that after reducing the coal handling capacity by 25 per cent, another study would be conducted in the month of October this year after the monsoon to check the pollution levels.

“We will ensure that the company will control the amount of coal so that they don’t pollute if they don’t do that they will face closure,” he said.

Parrikar said the companies had not invested in controlling the pollution which they could have done by constructing a dome.

“Our directions are very clear that we don’t want pollution. I am going to monitor it,” he said.
Team TNV