Team Herald
PANJIM: Raising serious concern over environmental destruction, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Goa government to estimate the damage caused due to illegal mining activities and recover compensation from the polluters based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle.
The tribunal’s principal bench headed by chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, pointing to various media reports, observed that rampant mining activities, including iron ore and minor minerals, has posed a serious threat to the forest cover and is health hazard to the people living in those areas.
“The rampant mining in areas rich in iron ore and other minerals is now threatening the forest cover as well as posing a health hazard to the local population in various areas of Goa. More than one fourth of the State has been affected by mining activity and along with legitimate mining, illegal mining too has come to stay in Goa,” the Green bench said in its directions passed on April 10.
“And the situation is only going to get worse as the mining companies are gearing up to further increase the amount of ore they extract from the ecologically sensitive regions of the small State,” it added, referring to reports.
Quoting media reports, NGT said that a recent economic survey has cited that more than 2.5 lakh hectares of government land have been taken over by illegal mining.
“While revenue losses from illegal mining has been estimated at about Rs 3,000 crore, the loss by way of damage to the environment and loss of livelihood has not been estimated,” it said further quoting reports.
“It is essential to evaluate the damages caused to the environment and cost required for its restoration. This is a mandate under the “polluter pays” principle which is in accordance with Section 20 of National Green Tribunal Act, 2010 and Article 21 of the Constitution of India,” it said.
“Therefore, we direct the State of Goa to estimate the cost of damages in such cases and recover compensation from the polluters for restoration/restitution,” it added further.
The bench said the facts have been brought to the notice of the Chief Secretary so that the same can be verified and necessary action considered. Chief Secretary Parimal Rai was personally present for the hearing.
The tribunal also noted that there were other issues like deterioration in groundwater levels, damage to forests and wildlife and unscientific, besides uncontrolled sand mining, etc.
“Unsatisfactory implementation of the law is clear from the fact that in spite of severe damage, there is no report of any convictions being recorded against the polluters, nor adequate compensation has been recovered for damage caused to the environment. Steps for community involvement are not adequate. There is reluctance even to declare some major cities as fully compliant with the environmental norms,” it noted.
The tribunal has directed the Chief Secretary to appear before it in person on October 21 with the compliance report.
