Power plants in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh who imported coal from Navlakhi port in Gujarat are having an issue of vacating the cargo lying in the port.
With the Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) serving a closure notice to the port for violation of environmental norms, the coal could not be transported from the port, reports suggest. These power plants are yet to lift almost 7 lakh metric tonne of coal imported primarily from Indonesia and lying in the port.
On May 10, the port, which is an all-weather port located at Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, received a closure notice from the pollution board.
Navlakhi port is run by Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) and it has a cargo handling capacity of over 8 million metric tonne per annum (mn mtpa).
A closure notice has been served on Navlakhi port for creating air pollution and not abiding by environmental norms. Only after the GMB gives an undertaking that it will comply with norms can the order be revoked, GPCB Chairman KU Mistry said.
In April, the pollution board warned the port of taking corrective measure unless it adhere to the norms. Meanwhile, GMB said it would soon submit an undertaking to GPCB pledging that it would mechanise the port over seven months.
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