Mumbai Port gets stay on coal imports ban

The Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) today secured a stay from the state environment appellate authority on the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board's (MPCB) order asking it to stop handling of coal for Tata Power on environment grounds. The authority will hear the case on January 10.

Tata Power and Mumbai Port declined to comment on the issue. Earlier the appellate authority had asked MbPT to appoint an independent agency to assess whether the coal handling was affecting the quality of air at the port.

In response, it appointed state-run Water and Power Consultancy Services (Wapcos), which gave it a clean chit today.

According to MPCB member secretary D B Boralkar, the board has pointed certain lacunas in Wapcos report and has informed the same to authority. Industry sources said MPCB had not raised the issue of pollution for last eight months .

"MbPT is also handling coal imports for Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB). The port is set to handle over 1 million tonne of coal for MSEB's Nasik plant from Indonesia and South Africa," a source said.

Tata Power was importing coal via Daramtar Port for last six to seven years.

It had shifted its coal import base to Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) from Daramtar Port to save about Rs 50 crore a year on transport cost. It also shifted because it found performance at Daramtar Port unsatisfactory as far as the quantity, quality and shortage while transportation were concerned.

Also, it requires 2 million tonne of coal for its fifth generating unit of 500 mv at Trombay to keep the city lit up. The distance between Daramtar Port and Trombay plant is over 170 km while the distance is the plant and Mumbai Port is only nine km.

"Coal handling via Daramtar Port involves multiple tranport modes. The cargo reached at port was taken by road to Nagothane rail handling facility and this was later carried by rail to Trombay," industry analysts pointed out.

Since the plant needs cleanest coal in the world to reduce emissions, Tata Power is importing coal from Indonesia through Haji Bunder Jetty at MbPT.

SIGH OF RELIEF
Tata power 's coal supply through MbPT was stopped by pollution board on environment grounds

State-run Water and Power Consultancy Services (Wapcos) was appointed to assess the effects of coal handling on atmosphere

Wapcos has given a clean chit to MbPT on Tuesday