Fate of 40 Goa mines to be decided Friday
March 3rd, 2011 - 11:14 pm ICT by IANSPanaji, March 3 (IANS) The fate of 40 open cast iron ore and manganese mines in Goa will be decided by the state pollution control board Friday.
Speaking to reporters Thursday evening, Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) chairperson Simon D’Souza said that there were 40 applications from the mining lease operators, for renewal of permissions which are necessitated under the Air and Water Pollution Act.
“We had issued them show cause notices because these operators had no clearances from relevant authorities like the forest department and state wildlife board, which is mandatory,” D’Souza said.
“We had given them adequate time for obtaining the permissions. No mine will be allowed to operate in Goa without the consent under the Air and Water Pollution Act,” D’Souza said.
The GSPCB had vetted applications from 104 mining operators in September, after the issue was raised in the state legislative assembly.
Illegal and unchecked mining is a sensitive issue in Goa, with both civil society groups and the opposition voicing their concern about the issue repeatedly.
According to data submitted in the assembly, ore worth Rs.4,000 crore was illegally mined and exported out of the Goa to countries like China, Japan, Romania, etc. The Goa government fetches nearly Rs.700 crore as royalty from the exported ore.
Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar claims that nearly 18 percent of Goa’s total 40 million mining output comprised illegally mined ore.
He has also accused Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and several of his cabinet ministers of being in hand-in-glove with the illegal mining.
- 35 Goa mining leases booked - Sep 15, 2010
- Goa pollution board cracks down on illegal mining - Sep 30, 2010
- Goa's illegally operated mines asked to shut down - Aug 03, 2011
- 40 mining companies in Goa issued notice - Apr 06, 2012
- Goa government closes illegal mine after tribal protest - Mar 02, 2011
- Officials involved in illegal mining will be hanged: Kamat - Apr 29, 2011
- Criminal complaint against NCP leader for illegal mining - Feb 14, 2011
- Goa shuts illegal mine after tribal protest (Lead) - Mar 02, 2011
- Vedanta Resources mines operated illegally in Goa: minister - Mar 17, 2011
- Illegal mining will trigger crisis in Goa: NGO - Mar 21, 2011
- Green nod for several Goa mines faulty, says ecologist - Apr 04, 2011
- 74 mines on forest department radar in Goa - Aug 28, 2009
- Award for Goa company accused of illegal mining - Mar 18, 2011
- Goa's crackdown on illegal mining runs out of steam - Sep 09, 2009
- Church accuses Goa government of shielding illegal mining - Oct 02, 2010
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