PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday that coal handling at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) won’t be increased “at any cost”. He added that a plan would soon be chalked out to significantly reduce the quantity from the 14-15 million tonnes the port handled in 2017. Sawant also said the port would diversify into pharma export and the tourism sector.
“Coal handling will surely not exceed 14-15 million tonnes, and will drop significantly below that,” Sawant said. “We will now see how we can put the port to other uses. Currently, pharma exports go from Goa to JNPT (Navi Mumbai), and from there, they are exported further. I spoke to Union ports and shipping minister (Mansukh) Mandaviya about getting those mother vessels to Goa. Discussions are also in progress on how MPT berths can be used for tourism.”
Sawant, who was on a two-day visit to New Delhi this week, said that Mandaviya would visit Goa within a month. When here, he is likely to review MPT’s functioning and “come out with how much we will drop the coal handling”, the CM said.
“There is scope to use MPT for handling of fertilisers, pharma products, pig iron, cast iron, and glass fibre, rather than coal,” Sawant said. “MPT has also prepared guidelines on how to use it (its berths) for tourism. The port is in the process of developing a state-of-the-art international and domestic cruise terminal, with allied facilities like Ro-Ro ferry services and a shopping arcade. This will add to the economic development of the state.”
He also said that MPT has been asked to take up the tourism project at the earliest, by reducing coal cargo.
“Many are trying to paint a picture as though I have brought in more coal after I took over as CM from March 2019,” Sawant said. “Coal handling has been done here since 1947. The maximum coal handled was 14 million tonnes in 2017. Current coal handling at MPT is 9-10 million tonnes. If iron ore handling resumes, coal handling will drop to 3-4 million tonne a year. Once there is a permanent solution to mining, there won’t even be space to handle coal.”
He also said that claims that up to 130 million tonnes of coal will eventually be brought to Goa are false.
“Mandaviya has promised that coal handling will not exceed 14 million tonnes,” he said. “The infrastructure coming up is for the state, and not for coal.” He also said his government has to “remove the misunderstanding” in the minds of the people.
Meanwhile, reacting to BJP Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha, who hit out at him on Tuesday, Sawant said he has “explained the facts of the issue” to her.
Source:-timesofindia.indiatimes.com