Mormugao Port Trust mulls ore export terminal for Karnataka

PANAJI: The Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has proposed to develop an iron ore export terminal at the waterfront of west of breakwater on a PPP mode basis to dispatch iron ore mined from Karnataka, for which the Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) has called for environmental public hearing on September 16.
Centre for environment WAPCOS limited, which conducted a comprehensive environmental impact assessment for the development of west of breakwater, in its report mentioned, that the 'Present scenario in railway connects MPT at Vasco da Gama station with the hinterland districts of Belgaum, Dharwad, Bellary and Uttarkannada in Karnataka state.These regions are important to the west of breakwater project in that they are major producers of iron ore and consumers of metallurgical coal and coke and equal quantities of coal/coke are proposed to be dispatched from port by a rail route from Vasco-da-Gama.'
MPT chairman P Mara Pandiyan said, "Around Rs 1,200 crore would be invested on this project and it would handle exports of seven million tonnes of iron ore."
Pandiyan also said that in addition to this, there would be two barge berths and 70 acres of land would be utilized for storage of ore. GSPCB has requested all the concerned persons/authorities to be present for the hearing. The hearing was scheduled on July 24 which is now rescheduled.
MPT wants to construct a berth over the mole of 270m length and 20m width.
'Foundation will be on 900 mm dia. pile structure with four rows of piles. Centre to centre distance in longitudinal direction is 5m. The berth will have a deck level of (+5.50 m) and will cater to berthing of non-cargo vessels. Presently, the draft available is -5.00 to -5.50m and the same will be dredged to -8.0m,' stated the EIA report submitted to the GSPCB.
The ambient suspended particulate matter, which was conducted, has observed that the average suspended particulate measure levels as observed at various stations in the study area ranged from 86.8 to 124.6 g/m3 and 72.0 to 85.1 g/m3 for the years 2010 and 2011 respectively.
The highest SPM value of 204.2 g/m3 was recorded at MPT institute/railway traffic manager office, Baina, Vasco.
As per the norms, the SPM should not exceed value of 200 g/m3.