Wadhwan port: NGT seeks CPCB report, halts work

The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Pune has ordered the Central Board Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to form a panel to look into the work status of the ₹65,000-crore Wadhwan port project in Dahanu and suspend the work till the panel submits the report to NGT

The National Green Tribunal (NGT), Pune has ordered the Central Board Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to form a panel to look into the work status of the ₹65,000-crore Wadhwan port project in Dahanu and suspend the work till the panel submits the report to NGT.

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The NGT bench comprising justices Adarsh Kumar Goel, Sudhir Agarwal, M Sathyanarayan, Brijesh Seth and member Dr Nagin Nanda, on June 15, directed for the formation a five-member panel of environmental experts, following the Supreme Court guidelines in the 1996 Bittu Sehgal case.

The tribunal directed the committee to visit the Wadhwan port site and study its impact on the environment. The order will hamper the Central government’s efforts to develop an international standard port at Dahanu.

CPCB had last year issued guidelines to create a revised industrial pollution category. Accordingly, the Central government’s department of environment and forests, by order dated June 8, 2020, excluded ports, jetties and dredging from red category to non-industries category.

According to CPCB list, ports fall into the red category, making it a major legal hurdle to build a growth port in the area.

Wadhwan Bandar Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, National Fishworkers Forum and other fishermen’s bodies noticed these changes and were apprehensive that it was done with the objective of creating Wadhwan port, and accordingly petitioned to NGT.

Vishwanath Gharat, manager at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT) which is involved in the Wadhwan port project, refused to comment and directed HT’s queries to JNPT chairman Sanjay Sethi, who did not respond to repeated queries.

Meanwhile, Aniket Patil, member of the anti-Wadhwan port project, said the panel should include local Palghar-based environmentalists or marine experts who understand the topography of Wadhwan. He added that they will send a petition to NGT in this regard.

In 1991, the Central government had declared Dahanu taluka as environmentally sensitive, by Dahanu Taluka Environmental Protection Committee (DTEPA) formed by the SC, stopping construction of any new industry in the area.

In 1997, Australian firm P&O had tried to build an international port at Wadhwan, but DTEPA had ruled that Wadhwan port would prove to be harmful to the environment of Dahanu taluka, following which the company withdrew its bid.

Narayan Patil, convenor of Wadhwan Bandar Virodhi Sangharsh Samiti, said the government found Wadhwan port suitable due to topographical condition even though the Central government is yet to give its nod. “The government wants to send all polluting ships like coal, oil-leaking and other ships to Dahanu. We will be the victims of pollution,” said Patil, adding, “Our livelihood like fishing and dye making is already lost due to pollution at high seas, and now this is a new threat.”