PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has prima facie observed that the mining lease holders have violated the pollution norms while undertaking transportation of iron ore at Sonshi village- where hundreds of locals claimed to have been denied the right of fresh air and water due to the transportation.
The GSPCB team on Tuesday had conducted the inspection of air ambient quality at the village having total 11 mining leases operational in and around the locality.
Sources said that during the inspection, the dust particles were recorded and prima facie it is been observed that the lessees have violated the conditions laid down in the Consent to Operate under Air pollution Act. “Board is likely to initiate necessary action against the lease holders for the violations,” sources said.
The iron ore transportation by the mining firms has severely affected the village, raising clouds of dust and drying up water bodies. The locals claim that their children were falling sick due to the increasing pollution in the village.
When contacted, GSPCB member secretary Levinson Martins said that the Board is still in process of compiling the monitored data and the same would be placed before the Chairman and Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma for further directions.
“Unless the data compilation is done, I cannot comment anything,” he said refusing to disclose anything.
The Bombay High Court at Goa has taken suo-moto cognizance of the media report on Sonshi will directing the State government to file an affidavit about its action plan to resolve the issue.
The Goa Human Rights Commission has also sought report from GSPCB on the pollution issue.
