PANJIM: Mining operations can begin in 57 of the renewed mining leases, with Goa State Pollution Control Board on Friday granting Consent to Operate to these leases under the Air and Water Pollution Acts. GSPCB also fixed an annual extraction cap of 13.79 million metric tonnes (mmt) for the leases. The board refused to give its consent to nine leases, whose abeyance on environment clearance (EC) has not been lifted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).
The board decided to grant its consent to 57 of the 66 mining leases that had applied, subject to approval of the mining plan by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM). The board also resolved to appoint a monitoring committee under its chairman to review the air and water quality report of the leases every three months.
The consents, granted under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974, will be for one year. The consent is mandatory for operation of leases in the state.
The 57 leases belong to mining bigwigs, including Sesa Goa, Fomento, Chowgules, V M Salgaocar, Bandekar Brothers and others. As per the government’s projection, the 57 mining leases should be able to commence operations this coming October, after the monsoon.
Addressing media persons after the meeting, GSPCB chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said, “Consent is granted subject to approval of mining plan by the IBM.” He added that of the 89 renewed leases, 12 had not applied for the board’s consent to operate.
With the Supreme Court lifting the mining ban on April 21, 2014, followed by withdrawal of State government suspension, the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) renewed 89 mining leases, of which 61 were allowed fresh extraction up to 20 million metric tonnes on a pro rata basis. Of the renewed leases, the ECs of 20 were not lifted by MoEF.
“There are certain conditions laid down in the consent like installation of air ambient monitoring station and strict compliance of High Court directives on iron ore transportation,” Noronha said.
Noronha said the board has also resolved to set up a monitoring committee headed by the GSPCB chairman with executives of mining companies as members to review the air and water quality reports every three months. “The board will prepare its own report, while the mining firms will also have to submit their report on air and water quality every three months,” he clarified.
Mining activities in Goa are at a halt since September 2012. Before suspension 93 mining leases were operational in the state.
