Panaji: Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) today decided to allow Mormugao Port Trust to handle 0.8 million metric tons (MMT) of coal per month at its berth No 5A, 6A and 7 operated by M/s South West Port Ltd and M/s Adani Mormugao Port Terminal Pvt Ltd with a monthly cap of four lakh tons each.
The decision comes as a major relief to the port, which was suffering due to sudden closer of iron ore industry.
The Board has decided to to grant fresh Consent to Operate to SWPL for coal handling, the permission which was revoked in January, earlier this year, for excess handling of coal.
Speaking to reeporters post meeting, GSPCB member secretary Levinson Martins said that Board has decided to allow handling 0.8 million metric tons of coal at MPT on monthly basis.
“The Board has resolved to grant fresh consent to JSW; however their production limit is restricted to four lakh per month as against 55 lakhs annually,” he said.
“we have also imposed restriction on Adani’s production capacity limit also to four lakhs per month, which was otherwise 52 lakhs per annum’.
Martins justified that the decision to grant Consent to JSW was taken as coal handling was essential to carry out Source Apportionment Studies at MPT, which is been undertaken by IIT Mumbai.
Board has declined to grant permission for coal handling at berth No 10,11 and mooring dolphin.
