PANJIM: The Bombay High Court at Goa has directed three mining companies to deposit Rs 65 lakh each before it towards rehabilitating the agricultural land which has been polluted due to mining activities in Shirgao village.
The Bench comprising of Justice M S Sonak and Justice M S Jawalkar issued order on December 18, directing mining firms including Vedanta Inc, Rajaram Bandekar Mines Private Limited and Chowgule and Company Private Limited to pay the amount.
The directions were issued after counsel representing State argued that the mining companies were responsible for filling up of silt in the paddy field “Savat Khazan” in Sirigao village, the petitioner in the matter.
The High Court also directed District Mineral Foundation to earmark an amount of Rs two crore for the purpose.
“Further, we direct the mining companies to deposit in this Court an amount of Rs 65 lakh each, on or before the next date which shall be January 27,” the Bench ruled.
The Bench further ordered, “If ultimately it is found that the mining companies are not responsible for this silt, or are not responsible under the polluters pays principle, interim orders can always be made to return these amounts to the mining companies and then perhaps require the District Mineral Foundation to bear the entire expenditure of Rs four crore.”
The court also directed State Water Resources Department to take up the work of desilting the fields within 30 days.
During the arguments on the case, the mining companies had ruled out that they were responsible for the pollution of the field as “for last six to seven years, the mining has stopped in Goa”.
However, Advocate General D S Pangam, countered the same pointing out that there was a mining happening in the State between the years 2015-2018, till Supreme Court imposed ban.
