The AP State Pollution Control Board has complained that Visakhapatnam Port has not been fully compliant with its regulations, as the port lacks adequate covered sheds to prevent dust pollution.
The PCB in its report submitted to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has informed that pollution across the port in three places is high and the port has been delaying in issuing tenders for development of the sheds. After Chaitanya Sravanti Organisation filed a complaint in the NGT against Visakhapatnam Port’s pollution, the NGT had directed PCB to file a quarterly compliance report. Following these measures, the PCB had put a fine of Rs.12 crore for environmental compensation and the port paid it.
In its quarterly report January-March 2022, PCB said Visakhapatnam Port stores dusty cargo closer to the city interphase and uses mobile water tankers for wetting it. In January the port issued a tender for mobile MDSS and pollution control equipment at an estimated cost of Rs.5.5 Cr and the system is expected to be installed by June. The port was to start construction of two covered sheds in October 2020, but it issued tender for one shed at a cost of Rs.28.6 Cr, for which an e-procurement notice was issued in April 2021.
