All eyes now on RPs of mining talukas
SHWETA KAMAT
PANJIM, FEB 8
Some of Goa’s interior talukas where mining activity, both legal as well as illegal, has become a bone of contention will see their regional plans (RPs) notified together in the next one month, a senior official said.
The senior official from the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department on condition of anonymity said the State-Level Committee (SLC) led by Digambar Kamat has decided to release surface utilisation maps for Quepem, Bicholim and Sanguem together.
He informed Sattari’s plan, which was approved on January 14, will also be notified together along with these three within a month.The State Government is already drawing flak over RP for not adhering to several recommendations of the Task Force. All eyes will be now on these four talukas, which have maximum mining operations.
The SLC has asked the Mines Department to map the mining activity in these talukas. The gigantic exercise of mapping along with the areas covered has already begun.
Officials said once the legal mines are mapped, the rest of the areas from where ore is extracted would be automatically termed as illegal exposing violations.
The committee has also directed the department to give detailed information about ore extractions outside leased areas.
The officials are also mapping working and non-working mines in these talukas, which also has abundant forest cover.
The State Government has already notified RPs for Canacona and Pernem talukas, which has evoked severe criticism. Civil society groups have filed a First Information Report (FIR) with the Panjim police against the SLC headed by Kamat.
