Says mining activities too could begin in same month
TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said the handling of dumps and already extracted ore would start by May and expressed hope that mining activities would also begin in the same month.
“Handling of the dumps and iron ore which is already extracted and lying at the leases is likely to begin from May,” Parrikar said on Monday.
At present, all mining activities have been suspended after the Supreme Court’s interim ban and a running feud between the State and Centre and including the role of the Supreme Court appointed Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC) over handling of dumps.
Refusing to elaborate further, Parrikar said all attempts would be made to ensure that dumps are handled.“My statements would be carried in the media and that would be attached by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to the petition filed in the Supreme Court,” he claimed explaining why he does not want to disclose his strategy about resumption of mining.
The Union government had written to the state government after Justice MB Shah Commission Report on illegal mining in the state said dumping of waste/rejects of minerals could be done only after approval the Indian Bureau of Mines.
“The commission’s recommendation has been accepted by the government and the Ministry of Mines is strongly of the view that the government of Goa should immediately restrict all activities for removal of minerals from dumps located outside the lease areas till an appropriate mechanism is evolved and the central government’s approval is obtained,” the Centre’s communiqué said.
The CEC also wanted that environmental clearances (EC) should be obtained before dumps are allowed to be handled. In its report to the apex court, the CEC had said, “As against total production of 1553.724 lakh tonnes of iron ore, between 2006-07 and 2010-11, a total of 1949.369 lakh tonnes of Goan origin has been exported…”( 395.645 lakh tonnes more than the total quantity reported to have been legally produced.) so, “…In addition, part of the iron ore has been used for domestic consumption. There was every reason to believe that the excess quantity that was exported was illegally mined…”
The state on the other hand had told the apex court that handling of dumps did not amount to mining and that dumps should not be subjected to fresh environmental clearance) as well as the excess quantity sold should not be added to the production limit imposed in the mining plan or the EC.
