A day after the night protest in Goa, state Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral on Tuesday promised a “capping mechanism” for import of coal, with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant expected to provide “documentary proof” in the days to come.
Speaking to the media, Cabral said, “Goa will not be a coal hub.”
On Sunday midnight, people had come out in huge numbers to keep vigil by railway tracks to ensure coal trains did not cross.
“At present, nearly 10 to 12 million tonnes of coal is imported annually. This will not increase and the government will make sure the quantum of coal import does not increase,” Cabral assured. Mormugao Port Trust’s projections for 2030 say they want to import over 50 million tonnes of coal, with the bulk of imports divided between the Adani Group, JSW Group and Vedanta.
