Panaji: The Goa Port and Dock Employees Union (GPDEU) today made representation to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant seeking his immediate intervention in ensuring that the consent to operate for coal handling operations at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) is renewed with immediate effect, failing which livelihood of around 50,000 dependents would be at stake.
The Union has also demanded that the consent to operate of M/s South West Port Limited be renewed and the permission be granted to its original sanctioned capacity of 5.5 million tons per annum.
It also wants that MPT be allowed to handle coal at its Mooring Dolphins and that a common consent for a period of five years be granted to all the berths of MPT.
Union general secretary Laxmikant Gaude said that non-renewal of coal handling operations at SWPL by GSPCB has led to unrest and unpleasant situation among the employees and pensioners of MPT.
Gaude pointed out that there are about 1700 employees and 4500 pensioners and their family members who are dependent directly on the activity of coal handling at MPT for their survival.
He said that considering those indirectly dependent on the coal business, around 50,000 people survival is at stake.
