PANJIM: In the wake of the Supreme Court imposing a 20 million tonne cap on iron ore production annually, the state government has decided to review its ambitious mining corridor project, proposed along mining-rich areas, to ease traffic movement.
Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) has decided to conduct a feasibility study of the plan, post mining resumption, before deciding on the project. GSIDC is likely to recommend to the government to increase the carrying capacity of the existing roads by widening them, wherever possible.
The move comes against the backdrop of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) banning transportation of ore on all roads passing through villages or human habitation, without increasing the carrying capacity of the roads.
GSIDC Managing Director Sanjit Rodrigues said the project will be reviewed to ascertain whether mining corridors, involving huge expenditure, are required considering the 20 million tonne cap on production. “We will have to conduct the feasibility study,” he said without elaborating further.
In January 2013, GSIDC had scrapped the Rs 86 crore contract of the first phase of the mining corridor and had decided to hold back the proposal till resumption of mining activities, which as per government views might resume by October this year.
“The decision to have mining corridors was taken due to heavy truck movement laden with ore that was leading to traffic congestion. But now mining will re-start with restrictions on production, export and transport,” Rodrigues said.
The government in 2012 had published sections IV, VI and VII of the Land Acquisition Act for two phases of the corridor – Uguem to Guddem and Uguem to Capxem. The mining corridor also had a proposed phase three, which was planned to connect the mines of Cavrem, Maina, Rivona, to the main mining corridor.
MoEF, in a notification issued last month, said that transportation of minerals by roads passing through villages will not be allowed. New ‘bypass’ roads have to be created to transport minerals (leaving a gap of at least 200 metres) so impact of sound, dust and accidents is minimized. The ministry said that no road movement should be allowed on the existing village road network without appropriately increasing the carrying capacity.
Meanwhile, the government is also working on a mining transport policy, wherein it proposes to introduce a cluster area development concept to streamline transportation in the mining areas. The policy might also have cluster wise capping on transport.
