Goa’s illegally operated mines asked to shut down
August 3rd, 2011 - 1:56 pm ICT by IANS
Panaji, Aug 3 (IANS) Nineteen out of the 100 odd operational mines in Goa have been ordered to be shut down by the state’s top pollution control authority for functioning in the absence of the mandatory permissions.
The mines were operating in the absence of permissions under the Air and Water Pollution Control Act, Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) chairman Simon D’Souza said.
“They will be allowed to resume operations only after they get the consent under the act,” D’Souza told IANS, adding that inspections revealed that many other mines were also operating without mandatory pollution-related permissions.
“More mines are likely to be shut down in the near future,” he said.
Most of the mines in question are located in the Sanguem sub-district, 35 km south from here, and in Bicholim sub-district, 30 km from here.
Goa exported a record 54 million tonnes of low-grade iron ore to countries like China, Japan and Romania last financial year, even as green activists complained of large-scale destruction of forest cover to accommodate “indiscriminate and illegal mining”.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused several Goa cabinet ministers of being involved in illegal mining trade. According to Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar near 20 percent of Goa’s annual output is illegally mined.
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- Goa pollution board cracks down on illegal mining - Sep 30, 2010
- 40 mining companies in Goa issued notice - Apr 06, 2012
- Vedanta Resources mines operated illegally in Goa: minister - Mar 17, 2011
- Goa PAC to probe illegal mining in forests - Aug 10, 2011
- 74 mines on forest department radar in Goa - Aug 28, 2009
- Officials involved in illegal mining will be hanged: Kamat - Apr 29, 2011
- Goa's crackdown on illegal mining runs out of steam - Sep 09, 2009
- Criminal complaint against NCP leader for illegal mining - Feb 14, 2011
- Ships from Japan not allowed to de-ballast in Goa ports - Apr 22, 2011
- Goa government closes illegal mine after tribal protest - Mar 02, 2011
- Goa shuts illegal mine after tribal protest (Lead) - Mar 02, 2011
- Award for Goa company accused of illegal mining - Mar 18, 2011
- Government pulls up 20 percent mines - Sep 18, 2011
Tags: absence, activists, air and water, bjp, cabinet ministers, china japan, goa state, grade iron, iron ore, leader of opposition, pollution control act, pollution control board, romania, souza, state pollution control board, tonnes, water pollution control