VASCO: Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) Chairman I Jeyakumar on Thursday informed that the due to unscientific interpretation of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) recently rejected fresh application by M/s South West Port Ltd. However, he said that the port would challenge the GSPCB’s decision before NGT Delhi citing the move as wrong interpretation of EIA Notification 2006. It may be recalled that recently GSPCB rejected fresh application by M/s South West Port Ltd for grant of consent to operate for handling coal cargo at berth numbers 5A and 6A of the MPT on grounds that the facility had no valid environment clearance (EC). “Though I have not seen the order of Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) however it is learnt that the board refused to grant its consent to operate citing the reason that EC is out barred (not valid). We feel that this decision is due to wrong interpretation of EIA Notification 2006,” Jeyakumar said. “As per the EIA notification 2006, the environmental clearance is given to start the project and if the project proponent fails to start the project within this period then he will have to again approach the competent authority seeking extension of EC. However, once the project is started or commissioned then there is no question of EC at all and the project proponent has to only obtain consent to operate from the pollution control board,” Jeyakumar clarified. “Industries have been divided into three categories including red, yellow and green. Ports and harbours fall under the red category. Here, in the red category, the consent to operate is valid for five years and every five years the same is being renewed and then for next five years there is no question of EC again. This is a basic principle followed all over India. I don’t know how the GSPCB is interpreting EC here and thus we will raise this issue in the NGT Delhi also with the plea that this is not scientific or actual interpretation of the EIA notification. Since our one similar case is already pending in the NGT Delhi, so with proper documentation we will also add this input during the next hearing on April 4 2018,” Jeyakumar added.