Award for Goa company accused of illegal mining
March 18th, 2011 - 1:36 pm ICT by IANSPanaji, March 18 (IANS) India’s biggest producer and exporter of iron ore Sesa Goa Limited (SGL) has been given the ICC Sustainability Vision award, a company statement said, a day after it was pulled up in the state assembly for illegalities in mining operations.
The award, instituted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), came after Forest Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues told the assembly Wednesday that the Vedanta Resources owned company was indulging in illegal mining in Goa’s several forest areas.
According to SGL’s press statement released Thursday, the “national award acknowledged Sesa Goa’s leadership role in implementing the best practices in environmental aspects and creating a sustainable development model for the society at large as a responsible mining company. Eleven of India’s best companies participated in the award category, with Sesa Goa and ITC emerging joint winners in the category”.
“This award brings additional responsibility for us to face the challenge of sustainable reduction of environmental footprint of mining while ensuring development of the community in which we operate in more holistic and exemplary way and most importantly, with more passion,” the statement quoted the company’s Managing Director P.K. Mukherjee as saying.
In his written reply to the assembly, Rodrigues said SGL and two other mining companies V.S. Dempo and Company Ltd and Dempo Mining Corporation Ltd — both acquired by SGL in 2009 — were indulging in illegal mining in forest areas in Bicholim and Sanguem taluks of north and south Goa districts respectively.
Three separate complaints were filed against officials of Dempo Mining Corporation and SGL for illegal mining.
In two other instances, the forest department also warned officials of V.S. Dempo and Company against using forest land for transportation of ore and ferrying of trucks in designated forest areas, the reply stated.
Illegal and unchecked mining is a sensitive issue in Goa with both civil society groups and the opposition repeatedly voicing their concern over the issue.
According to data submitted in the assembly last year, ore worth Rs.4,000 crore was illegally mined and exported out of Goa to countries like China, Japan and Romania.
According to Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar, nearly 18 percent of Goa’s total 40 million mining output comprises illegally-mined ore.
He has accused Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and several of his cabinet ministers of being hand-in-glove with the illegal mining mafia.
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- Sesa Goa employees protest 24x7 mining operations - May 04, 2012
- Goa to frame new mining policy - Jul 30, 2010
- Goa PAC to probe illegal mining in forests - Aug 10, 2011
- Goa's illegally operated mines asked to shut down - Aug 03, 2011
- 40 mining companies in Goa issued notice - Apr 06, 2012
- 'Fly by night mining operators creating problems' - Nov 17, 2011
- After Goa's illegal iron ore mining, is gold mining next? - Oct 05, 2011
- Pawar aide's illegal mine being probed: Goa minister - Mar 17, 2011
- Mining association admits to illegal exports from Goa - Nov 21, 2011
- Rethinking donations from mining firms: BJP - Oct 15, 2011
- Three rescued in Goa mining accident - Jul 16, 2011
- 'Mining activity in Goa should be five days a week' - Apr 30, 2012
- '25 mn tonnes illegal ore extracted in five years in Goa' - Nov 23, 2011
- Nationalise Goa's mining industry: Congress MP - Jul 04, 2011
Tags: award category, corporation ltd, dempo, development model, environmental footprint, forest areas, forest department, forest land, forest minister, indian chamber of commerce, k mukherjee, leadership role, mining companies, mining corporation, sensitive issue, sesa goa, sgl, south goa, vedanta resources, vision award