Pinnacle Court Obstructs Karwar Port Extension Work

30-03-2022

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Karnataka government to stop the expansion work of Karwar port, which handles three million tonnes of cargo per annum and services the hinterland of northern Karnataka, Goa and southern Maharashtra.

On behalf for the fishermen’s association in Baithkol village, where the port is located, senior advocate Devadatt Kamat argued that entire Karwar has been classified as ‘critically vulnerable coastal area’ (CVCA) and the expansion project would spell doom for the unique ecology of the area as well as the livelihood of the traditional fisherfolk.

Kamat told a bench of Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli that the port’s Teexpansion, under the central government’s ‘Sagarmala’ project, from its present three-million tonne capacity to 4.5-mn tonne, was approved on the basis of clearance awarded by the State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA).

He said the SEIAA has no authority to grant environmental clearance to the project, which is in an area classified as a CVCA, and that only the central government’s environment ministry has the power to grant environmental clearance after a detailed assessment of the project’s impact on ecology and environment.

The bench issued notices to the Karnataka government authorities and the Union environment ministry and asked the state government as well as the private contractor to stop any further construction work.

The Uttara Kannada District Fishermen Association Forum had been agitating against the port expansion claiming that it would severely impact the Karwar beach, connected drainage system, and the community’s traditional fishing activity.

The petitioner NGO said, “It is amply clear that Karwar was an ‘ecologically sensitive area’, as well as a CVCA, and hence, environmental clearance of January 23, 2019, to the second stage expansion of the commercial Karwar Port by SEIAA is bad in law. Only MoEF & CC could have given prior environmental clearance upon the recommendation of the Expert Advisory Committee (EAC).”

It said Karwar is one of the prime tourist destinations of the country, and the pristine beauty of the coast and the beaches has been an attraction for people across the country.

However, the port expansion project would directly and indirectly impact the general public’s right to enjoy the beach.