Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: The Bombay High Court at Goa has issued notices to government authorities and other concerned parties in response to a legal petition filed by a group of Vasco residents led by activist Sanjay Redkar. The petition challenges the proposed increase in coal handling capacity at Mormugao Port, alleging serious environmental and public health concerns.
During Monday’s hearing, the court directed all government respondents to submit their responses by September 11.
The petitioners have opposed the Mormugao Port Authority’s proposal to expand coal handling operations from the current 10.64 million tonnes to a projected 42.1 million tonnes per annum by 2035. They argue that such a dramatic scale-up would significantly worsen pollution levels in Vasco, citing threats to air and water quality, soil degradation, and associated health risks due to toxic emissions and coal dust.
The residents also claim that the port’s coal expansion infringes upon their constitutional rights, particularly the right to livelihood under Article 19(1)(g) and the duty of citizens to protect the environment as stated in Article 51A(g). These environmental and livelihood impacts, they argue, are particularly damaging to local fishing communities and the tourism sector.
Supporting their plea, the petitioners referred to a key finding from the Working Group Report for the Port Sector under the Twelfth Five-Year Plan, which categorizes Mormugao as a high-density, population-adjacent port. Based on this, they argue the port should be relocated through a time-bound plan to mitigate ongoing health and environmental risks.
Coal operations at Mormugao Port have long been a flashpoint in Goa, with locals repeatedly voicing concern over coal dust pollution. While authorities maintain that new infrastructure — including enclosed, dome-shaped storage — has significantly reduced the spread of coal particles, residents remain unconvinced.
Previously, the Goa State Pollution Control Board had placed a limit on coal handling at approximately 7 million tonnes per year, a cap now under question due to the proposed expansion.
The case is now scheduled for further hearing after the submission of responses by the government and other parties.
