Panaji, Jun 22 (IANS): Goa Congress MLA Sankalp Amonkar on Tuesday threatened to launch a mass agitation to stop coal operations at Mormugaon Port Trust (MPT) in Vasco, claiming it is polluting the surroundings and putting people's life is in danger.

Addressing mediapersons near MPT, Mormugao MLA Amonkar said Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had assured that permissions will not be given to coal handling operations at Mooring Dolphin berth in MPT, but now permission has been extended till 2023.

He alleged that one company was handling coal at Mooring Dolphin berth at MPT on Tuesday.

"Goa State Pollution control board is hand-in-glove with coal handling companies and thus has extended the permission to handle coal at Dolphin till 2023," he claimed.

Though the Chief Minister had assured to reduce coal handling by 50 per cent, instead the government has planned double tracking of a railway line to make Goa a coal hub, he alleged.

Goa, in the past, had witnessed several agitations against handling of coal in MPT and against the double-tracking of a railway line, alleging that it is proposed to transport coal, which will ultimately convert Goa into a coal hub.

"Coal is polluting the surroundings of Mormugao taluka. We have been raising voices against it and urging the government to control it, but in vain. Today, people's life is in danger," Amonkar said.

He said nobody was taken into confidence before extending the permission to handle coal at the MPT.

Amonkar alleged that despite local people suffering due to coal handling, jobs for this activity are given to outsiders and denied to locals.

He charged that the Goa government is protecting big companies involved in coal operations.

"I will definitely raise this issue in the assembly and launch agitation to stop coal handling operations," he reiterated.