TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Government which is under pressure to furnish to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, the details of mining leases and their distance from wildlife sanctuaries, has given a deadline to complete the work by June 15.
Stating that the mines department is carrying out the DGPS survey, the Principal Conservator of Forests has written to all the deputy conservators asking them to keep their surveyors and staff ready to identify the boundaries of forest and protected areas and ensure that the surveys are conducted by the enlisted agency.
There are over 30 mines operating within one km of sanctuaries and national parks in Goa. According to the mines department the survey works has to be completed by June 15.
The department of mines and geology is also empanelling chartered accountants for a comprehensive audit for five or more years of lease holders and traders in mineral ore from Goa. Deadline for professionals to apply has been given as June 15. This information was sought by the Indian Bureau of Mines from the state authorities initially as far back as 2010.
About a month back, the MoEF had told the Supreme Court that the Goa government was not forthcoming on site specific information required for verification of distances from national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in an affidavit by MoEF director.
“Despite pursuing the matter with the Goa state government, the proposals are yet to be received by us (MoEF),” the affidavit had stated.
MOEF had also asked the Goa government to work out distances from the periphery of all mines in the state from the different national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, with the help of high resolution National Remote Sensing Agency or NRSA satellite images or maps, followed by ground truthing.
“Despite pursuing the matter, MoEF hasn’t received any response from the state government in this regard too and this information is required to verify the distances of mining projects from the sanctuaries and national parks,” the affidavit reads.
