Palghar: In an effort to obtain environmental clearance for the development of Greenfield Vadhvan Port in Palghar district, a committee of the Pollution Control Board held a public hearing recently. The hearing was held in the presence of Deputy Collector of Daman, Dadara & Nagar Haveli, which was attended by the various stakeholders and representatives of fisherman community.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), the authority entrusted with the job to execute the project, identified sand borrow pit at around 50 km to 60 km in the Arabian Sea from the proposed Vadhvan Port and about 50 km from Daman Coast for obtaining 200 Million CuM sand by dredging to create land at the proposed Vadhvan Port.
Development project awaits environmental clearance
In the public hearing held as per the directions of the Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEF&CC), various concerns raised by the stakeholders were addressed and the hearing went smoothly. The minutes of the public hearing would be forwarded to MoEF&CC to obtain comprehensive Environment Clearance for the development of Vadhavan Port.
The ₹76,220 Crore Greenfield Port at Vadhavan in Dahanu Taluka of Palghar district has been opposed by the environmentalists claiming the port is an ecological disaster in waiting.
JNPA signed MoU with DP World for development of Vadhvan port
JNPA had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) worth ₹20,000 crore with global logistics operator DP World at the Global Maritime India Summit in Mumbai, for the development of the Vadhvan port. JNPA said the Vadhvan port is JNPA's one of the most ambitious projects that will be able to handle almost 24 million TEUs, making it among the top 10 in the world.
JNPA proposed to develop Vadhvan Port along with the participation of Government of Maharashtra and Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB). A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on June 5, 2015 to set up a new port at Vadhvan as a major port to be notified under the Indian Ports Act, 1908 by the Government of India. This port will be jointly implemented by JNPA and MMB with a shareholding of 74% and 26% respectively. The port will be developed on the Landlord Port concept.
