Media reports indicate that the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) allowed Navlakhi Port to transport the coal piled up at the port to various parts of the country.
However, the board has not revoked its earlier decision to ban fresh coal import shipments at the port owing to air pollution.
According to industry sources, almost 700,000 tonne of coal was piled up at the port after the closure notice by GPCB early last month.
GPCB has reportedly allowed transportation of the coal after the Uttar Pradesh government requested the state government to allow the same. Most of this quantity was meant to be the fuel for power plants in UP and northern India.
Meanwhile, the port is allowed to handle non-coal cargo. But coal cargo imports will remain suspended till the port meets the prescribed limit for air pollution. It is learnt that salt exports will also be resumed from the port.
On May 10, GPCB served the closure notice to the port after the air pollution levels at the port continue to remain higher than the set limit.
The power distributor, Pashchim Gujarat Vij Company (PGVCL) had also cut off power lines to the Navlakhi port following the closure order by the GPCB.
Navlakhi Port handles around 6-7 million tonne of coal annually had increased significantly. Navlakhi is an all-weather lighterage working port located in Gulf of Kutch and about 50 kms from Morbi in Rajkot district.
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