Palghar residents urge Dahanu authority to defer hearing on Vadhavan Port

Mumbai: Palghar residents and activists have urged the Dahanu Taluka Environment Protection Authority (DTEPA), a Supreme Court-appointed quasi-judicial body, to defer its February 13 hearing on Vadhavan Port, where it is expected to make a significant ruling on the permissibility of the project in the eco-fragile Dahanu taluka

Mumbai: Palghar residents and activists have urged the Dahanu Taluka Environment Protection Authority (DTEPA), a Supreme Court-appointed quasi-judicial body, to defer its February 13 hearing on Vadhavan Port, where it is expected to make a significant ruling on the permissibility of the project in the eco-fragile Dahanu taluka.

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With the Union environment ministry recently declining to grant Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) an amendment in Terms of Reference (ToR) for the port, locals say any parallel consideration by the DTEPA would be a futile exercise.

HT was the first to report on JNPA’s request, which sought to dredge up 200 million cubic metres of earth from the ocean floor off the coast of Daman to reclaim land for the port, instead of the originally sanctioned plan to quarry 80 million cubic metres of murrum soil (fragmented rocks) from seven identified hillocks in Palghar district. But in a meeting of the MoEFCC’s expert appraisal committee (EAC) on ports and harbours on January 12, it was noted that “the instant proposal cannot be considered... as (its) entire scope and configuration has changed.”

“Without these studies and reports being placed before this Authority to enable them to be considered by the expert members, the process of having to obtain the NOC from this Authority would be reduced to an empty formality,” the letter continued.

Vaibhav Vaze, secretary, VBVSS, further stated that all the materials placed before the DTEPA by the JNPA in order to obtain the said NOC can no longer be considered valid.

“The ToR was initially given by the MOEFCC in 2020. Based on this ToR, a number of studies have been undertaken by JNPA through various agencies, like environment impact assessment report, report on impact on fisheries, and so on. But if JNPA wants to amend the TOR, they will also have to update these studies accordingly. They cannot rely on outdated terms of reference to get approval for the project, which the MOEFCC itself agrees, is vastly different in its scope now,” Vaze explained.

A senior official in JNPA, who is privy to the project and declined to answer specific questions from HT, said, “We can comment only after the DTEPA takes its call. But it must be said that the Authority has so far held up a vital clearance for the Vadhavan Port. They should hold a hearing and expedite our request for NoC, as this is a project of national interest.”