Friday, 02 Jul 2010
DH News Service reported that te Belekeri port in Karwar district, which is at the centre of a raging controversy over illegal shipping of iron ore in large quantities, has been asked to shut down.

In a dramatic decision, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Boardhas issued an order on June 17, directing the closure of the port located in Ankola taluk.

The closure was ordered on the grounds that the Department of Ports and the ore-handling companies at the port were flouting the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests norms.

The KSPCB order, a copy of which was obtained by Deccan Herald under the RTI Act, has instructed the Director of Port Department to close the port activities until necessary clearances were obtained from the MoEF and KSPCB for activities in the leased area. The order, issued under Section 31 (A) of the Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, has also been communicated to the Hubli Electricity Supply Company (HESCOM) for the latter to cut power supply to the port handling companies.

The department, in 2003, had allotted to the three agencies—Adani Enterprises Ltd, Shree Mallikarjun Shipping Pvt Ltd and Salgaocar Mining Industries Pvt Ltd an area of 62,140 square meters, 12,140 square meters and 10,000 square meters, respectively, for their activities.

In 2006, the department leased additional land to these agencies without the consent of either the MoEF or the KSPCB. Besides, the department also allotted about 98,000 square meters to seven other companies without obtaining clearance from the Pollution Board.

As per the Environmental Impact Assessment notification, 2006, issued by the MoEF, conducting public hearing and obtaining environment clearance from the ministry and the KSPCB for expansion of port activities is mandatory. The Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, also mandates these conditions. The department had extended the port area and allotted the same to the agencies without obtaining clearances from the MoEF.

The port is exclusively used for exporting iron ore and, recently, it was involved in the mysterious shipment of 500,000 tonnes of seized iron ore.