Date: 28th April 2017
To,
Member Secretary,
Goa State Pollution Control Board,
Panjim, Goa
Subject: Objections to EIA on redevelopment of berth 8, 9 and Barge
berth at MPT
Sir,
This is to bring to your notice that above mentioned
Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) has totally ignored existence of fishing
villages and fish landing stations on the Zuari river bank. Villages such as
Madkai, Aggasaim, Siridao, Bambolim, Nauxim, Cacra, Odxel, Dona Paula and
Caranzalem are totally missing in EIA even though they are located within 10
kms radius from MPT site of proposed re-development of berth 8, 9 and Barge
berth.
Sir, we have an apprehension that this has been deliberately
done by WAPCOS at the instance of MPT. We strongly oppose the omission fishing
villagers and fishermen from the above mentioned EIA. This is a great fraud on
the part of MPT and the Government of India on Goa.
We also protest hiding of the key information of this
project in the above cited EIA that all this has been done for the benefit of
Vedanta owned Goa Sea Port Pvt Ltd. Vedanta Barges are already clashing with
fishermen in Zuari and Mandovi, and Goa Fisheries department has served warning
letters to several organizations of Fishermen all over Goa at the instance of
Vedanta.
This project we apprehend will create a situation where in
fishing in Goa’s rivers would be impossible. This situation is very grave
considering that simultaneously Government of India has gone ahead and declared
six rivers of Goa as National Highways.
Barges and existing shipyards along Goa’s rivers and
particularly in Zuari river has already caused extensive damage. We here re-produce
an extract from an exclusive interview of past Chairman of MPT Cyril George to
Goa based newspaper named Herald on 17/06/2015:
People
should also understand that there are so many shipyards not following
environmental laws, besides there are barges along the Zuari river bay and each
of these barges has created health hazards, environmental hazards besides pollution. These aspects are ignored.
Sir, When the Chairman of MPT itself speaks out the truth of
barge transportation in public domain, how can MoEF grant them Environmental
Clearance? Further we want to state that the Zuari river bay is within the
Jurisdiction of MPT from May 24, 2000 and Chairman Cyril George’s above
findings does not figure at all in above draft EIA. EIA does not share any
light as to what measures MPT has taken to stop health hazards, environmental
hazards and pollution caused by barges from the time its Chairman Cyril George
spoke about it in public on 17/06/2015. Central Government issued gazette notification
issued by Ministry of Surface Transport (Department of Shipping), (Port Wing)
on May 24, 2000 declaring MPT jurisdiction over Zuari river and its coast covering
Cacra, Nauxim, Bambolim, Odxel, Dona Paula, Siridao, Sancoale and Cortalim
Coast signed by:
“On the East – All the waters of
River Zuari, West of Agassaim – Cortalim Ferry (Excluding the ferry and the
landing stages)”.
The Gazette of India (Extraordinary), Part
II – Section 3 – sub – section (i) signed by K.V.Rao, Jt.Secy
Due to the above glaring fallacies in the EIA itself, EC
must be rejected by MoEF. However in case EC is granted by MoEF then it will be
further confirmation of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s statement carried
widely in various newspapers by PTI on 06/09/2012 that MoEF is a corrupt
Ministry and grants EC clearances based on collection of bribes from corporate
and turns blind eye to rampant illegalities in Goa.
Thanking you,
Yours sincerely,
Maggie Silveira
President
Goa Unit
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