Question : Environmental Pollution due to Coal Handling

(a) whether the Government has received representations for halting of Coal Handling at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) Goa due to issues relating to environmental pollution;
(b) if so, the details thereof and response of the Government and MPT thereto;
(c) whether it is a fact that storage and Coal handing at MPT are the major contributors to Air and water pollution; and
(d) if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government for sustainable environment and to ensure good health of tourists/locals by complete halting of Coal handling by MPT?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

(a )to (d) Goa State pollution Control Board ( Goa SPCB) is in receipt of representations regarding dust pollution caused due to coal handling operation at Mormugao Port Trust (MPT). Details of the complaints received by Goa SPCB is attached at Annexure.

Goa SPCB while issuing consent to coal handing units has specified measures to be adopted by units to maintain the Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) standards.

Goa State Pollution Control Board has issued consent to operate to MPT on 2 July 2020 with specific conditions, which includes:

(i) The daily quantity of industrial effluent from the factory shall not exceed beyond prescribed limits.
(ii) The daily quantity of domestic effluent from the factory shall not exceed beyond 40 KLD.
(iii) The unit shall maintain and operate continuous ambient air quality monitoring system.
(iv) The applicant shall store coal in such a way that coal stack height, should not be higher than 9 meters and clear distance between two adjoining heap at GL should be 5 meters.
(v) Cargo-related operations at the MPT berths is permitted upto a wind-speed of 30 Km/hr. with the strict-adherence to the following conditions:

(a) Normal operations permitted upto a wind-speed of 28 Km/hr (i.e. Beaufort scale-04).
(b) Precautionary measures should be in place with proportionate scaling-down Operations when the wind speed exceeds 28 km/hr. (i.e. Beaufort scale-05).
(c) All operations should stop at a wind-speed of 30 km/hr.
(d) Wind speed is not applicable during rainy season from June to September.
(e) Conditions from a to c are not applicable for green/non dusty cargo.

(vi) The port facility should submit an action plan within one month with a detailed layout plan and settling pond arrangements to ensure that no rain water contaminated with coal enters water body.
(vii) The unit shall install vertical garden and maintain the same wherever possible within the port and periphery and submit action plan within one month.
(viii) The existing wind shield of 15-meter height should be lined with liners either of tarpaulin/jute bag or equivalent in order to restrict the flow of dust particles. This may be kept in wet conditions all the time. This may be done immediately till vertical garden is in place.

The Government has taken numerous initiatives towards control of air and water pollution across the country, inter alia include monitoring of ambient air and water quality under NAMP and NWMP, development of industry specific emission and effluent standards, installation of Online Continuous Emission/ Effluent Monitoring System (OCEMS) to track discharge of pollutant from 17 categories of highly polluting industries., issuance of directions under Section 18(1)(b) of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 and under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, etc.
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