TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: In a major relief to the Goa government, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has agreed to the government’s request that it should be allowed to phase out mines within one kilometre buffer zone of wildlife sanctuaries and national park within a period of 10 years, subject to approval from Supreme Court, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Saturday. The notification would be issued within the next 15 days.
A total of 32 mining leases coming under the eco-sensitive zone in the wildlife sanctuaries of Mhadei, Molem, Bondla and Netravali are likely to be affected by the order. Of the 32, only 24 were working leases up to the time when the Supreme Court imposed a ban on mining activity in Goa in October 2012.
Addressing media persons after returning from New Delhi, Parrikar said that the Union Minister for Environment and Forests Prakash Javadekar has agreed to allow phasing out of mines in the protected areas within 10 years, subject to clearances from the Supreme Court. “The Minister has cleared the notification and the same is expected to be out within a fortnight,” he said. Supreme Court has imposed a ban on mining in the protected areas.
MoEF, in March 2014, had issued a draft notification proposing “immediate outright ban” on mining in the 1 km buffer zone near wildlife sanctuaries. Based on the notification, soon after BJP forming the government, Parrikar in June had petitioned the MoEF to allow phasing out of mines in buffer zones.
While MoEF has proposed a one kilometer buffer zone for all wildlife sanctuaries of Goa, the government had pleaded that there be a zero buffer zone for its lone bird sanctuary – Salim Ali Bird sanctuary at Chorao and one kilometer buffer for the other six wildlife sanctuaries – Mhadei, Netravali, Bhagwan Mahaveer and Bondla and Cotigao wildlife sanctuaries. Government had refused to accept the 3 km eco-sensitive area (ESA) for Cotigao and one km ESA near Salim Ali Bird sanctuary.
The Chief Minister said that MoEF has also been petitioned to rethink on its decision with regard to sand mining, wherein the Ministry has said that no river sand mining project whose lease area is less than 5 hectares should be considered for granting Environment Clearances, thus effectively banning mining in leases below 5 hectares.
Parrikar said that Javadekar has also assured that it would consider the demand to grant relaxation to traditional coastal communities under coastal regulation zone (CRZ). “We have asked the Ministry to provide relaxation, wherein these communities, dominated by fishing communities can carry out minor commercial activities,” he said.
MoEF has appointed a committee to look into the problems of communities affected by CRZ notification 2011 and it is expected that the issue would be substantially resolved by December, the Chief Minister said.
