Team Herald
PANJIM: Irritated over the delay in submitting the report over framing Appropriate Policy/Guidelines and Manual of Standard Operating Procedure for closure of mining pits, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has imposed a further fine of Rs five lakhs to the Mines department, while granting ten days time to submit the report.
The Principal Bench had in October, pulled up the State Mines department for its proposal to fill up the mined out pits with solid waste and had rejected the proposal. While imposing a fine of Rs five lakhs, NGT had granted one month’s time for the department to submit the report.
When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, the department of Mines and Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) sought additional time for submission of the report.
“We allow the prayer as sought for, permitting the Department to file its report within 10 days as stated subject to payment of further cost of Rs 5 lakhs. Any further delay shall entail further cost of Rs10 lakhs,” the bench headed by Justice SP Wangdi said.
The bench recalled what it had directed while granting the prayer last month. “We may remind the Department of Mines & Geology that cost of Rs 5 lakhs has been imposed only because of the delay in complying with the order dated April 3, 2019 with the rider that further delay would entail additional cost of Rs 5 lakhs.
“We may also remind the State that every day’s delay in completing the task is resulting in adding to the environmental degradation. This would be a factor to be considered while assessing the environmental compensation,” tribunal said.
The matter was with regards to closure of stone quarrying pits in Pernem taluka, in which four students drowned in September.
