In a meeting with Union Minister of Ports and Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal, Rajya Sabha member GVL Narasimha Rao highlighted the need for creation of large scale covered storage space for bulk cargo at Visakhapatnam port, so that all the cargo emits fugitive dust. pollution can be controlled. Such as coking coal, steam coal and other operations.
Shri Narasimha Rao informed the Union Minister that the housing around the port has grown exponentially over the decades and there is a need to create covered storage infrastructure to handle bulk cargo within the covered shed to reduce the fugitive dust emissions.
Stating that the construction of the shed could be a costly proposition, the MP suggested that the investment proposed by the central government under the Sagar Mala project should be made and the investment should be reimbursed by collecting user charges.
He also stressed on the need to prepare a time bound action plan to bring all coking coal and steam coal operations under cover shed.
The MP pointed out that the covered storage should be very large and should be state-of-the-art with stacker reclaimers or wagon loading systems.
He said that positive interventions in this regard would improve the operation of Visakhapatnam port and also improve the quality of life of the citizens in the city.
According to Mr. Narasimha Rao, the Minister had given a positive response and said that the pollution-free port operation was the priority of the Prime Minister.