PANJIM: The State government has notified the Policy for Regulating Iron Ore Dump Handling in the State. The policy was approved by the Cabinet last week.
Until the study by the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) into what the optimum quantum of fresh mining in the State should be, an adhoc limit of 25 million tons for dump transportation on public roads will be imposed, states the policy.
As per the policy, priority will be accorded to dumps which are unstable, adjoining water bodies or otherwise sensitive in nature. Prior to processing any dump for auction, the Directorate of Mines and Geology will conduct a dump profile study of each dump.
In the first phase, the unstabilised dumps lying outside the lease area will be taken up for auction no sooner, the dump profile study is completed qua the said dump. Also the operator for dump mining outside the lease area will be selected through a competitive bidding process.
With the notifying of new policy, the Goa Mineral Policy 2013, to the extent dealing with dump and dump handling stand cancelled for all purposes and will no more be enforceable. Also the present Policy will not apply to those dumps which are located within the lease areas of leases, which have already been auctioned under sub-section (4) of section 8A of the MMDR Act.
As per the declarations provided by the Concessionaires/erstwhile lessees, the total stock of dumps in the State exceeds 700 million metric tons as on date. However, some of these dumps were already worked since then.
