MARGAO: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has recorded the Goa State Pollution Control Board’s willingness to inspect the mining sites and affected areas along with the representatives of the Director of Mines and the petitioners. The inspections are likely to take place in the next few days.
The High Court was hearing a writ petition filed by the members of tenants’ associations of various villages against mining in their areas.
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The next hearing before the High Court is scheduled on June 22, 2020.
The Mulakh Khazan and Pangarpath Khazan of Mayem and Kharat Savat Khazan of Sirgao, Pissurlem Shetkari Sanghatna, Lamgao Shetkari Sanghatna and concerned residents of Advalpal, Assonora and Sirgao filed the writ petition LD-VC-CW-29 of 2020 before the High Court through Adv Nigel da Costa Frias, which was heard on June 2, 2020.
In the petition, the petitioners alleged various illegalities, including fresh excavation at TC 13/49 and other mining sites, no demarcation of the State property or the ore allowed to be lifted, total absence of monitoring by Director of Mines, and pollution caused due to failure to follow the Pollution Control Board directions such as no overloading, providing tyre washing stations, proper covers, etc.
The petitioners have also pointed out heavy siltation of their fields, water bodies used for fishing/ irrigation and nullahs that caused massive damage and losses.
The petitioners further point out to the failure to take measures to prevent erosion and collapse of the dumps and stacks of mining waste, threatening their lands with severe siltation and flooding in the impending monsoon.
“The rampant and unsupervised transportation of iron ore carried out against the wishes of the majority of the residents of the mining belt and with no respect to the laws in force, has angered most residents. Representatives of the affected farmers’ groups from Bicholim and Sattari talukas and other concerned citizens are struggling to get the law enforced and to resolve the issues affecting the people and environment. But the authorities have refused to act, abandoning the prized national Wealth at the mercy of private companies,” said Sakharam Pednekar of Mulakh Khazan Tenants’ Association.
