Alina stalls MPT's marina projects
PRAKASH KAMAT/THE HINDU, PANAJI | 30 August 2013 19:59 IST
The plans of the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), the major port of south Goa, to step up the process of setting up marinas planned by Chowgule and Kharagwal groups in the Zuari river continue to get setbacks as Minister of Environment and Forests Alina Saldanha has once again raised doubts over the environmental safety of the projects.
The MPT said early this week that it was satisfied with the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted by marina promoters.
Chairman of MPT Mara Pandiyan told The Hindu on Tuesday that the EIA was done by professional expert agencies and the MPT was satisfied with it.
Responding to the MPT’s proposed Marina plans at Sancoale and the claim that they were ecologically benign, the Goa Ministry of Environment and Forests said on Thursday that views expressed by the project promoters and their privately engaged EIA consultants on the subject do not reflect the position of the Goa government and statutory authorities of the State.
“The findings of the EIA being cited and shared with the media by the project proponents absolving the Marina project of all the environmental impact has been conducted by privately engaged consultants of the project proponents and is yet to the evaluated by the competent State/Central authorities for taking a decision on the environmental clearance or any such other approval, and until such time that such clearances/approvals are granted it shall be improper to publicize that the benefits of the Marina can override the ecological costs of the project,” said the statement issued by Ms. Saldanha.
It further noted that the State government was committed to protect its marine endowments and the interest of its local grassroots’ stakeholders without any compromise whatsoever.
With its major revenue from export cargo of iron ore having stopped from October last year owing to the mining ban in the State, the MPT had been trying to promote other projects to attract international tourists through cruise facilities and other infrastructure.
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