PANJIM: There’s fresh trouble brewing for six iron ore mining leases from Sonshi village, whose operations were suspended in April for causing pollution, as they are alleged to have been operating without valid Environment Clearances (ECs).
Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), the authority for renewing the Consent to Operate under the Water and Air Acts, has decided to wait for the outcome of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) hearing scheduled on October 11, before deciding on granting consent to these six mining leases.
Green NGO, the Goa Foundation, in its representation before GSPCB, while pleading that no mining activities should be permitted in Sonshi, pointed out that these mining leases had invalid ECs.
“The Board, after deliberation, has decided that the claim of the Goa Foundation regarding invalidity of ECs could be determined only after the outcome of the hearing before the MoEF held on September 7 and before the NGT on October 11. In this regard the board has decided to await the said outcome before arriving at a final decision,” GSPCB said in its order, contents of which have been perused by Herald.
“This position of the Board would put the decision on grant of renewal of Consent to Operate with respect to six mining units on hold,” it added.
However, in respect of consent to other mining leases, which are also under suspension, the Board will meet on September 27 to take a decision. The High Court has already given the Board a green signal to go ahead with the consent process with conditions, as it noted that there is some improvement in the grave pollution hazard.
Mining operations of the 12 mining leases were suspended by the Board in April, after villagers complained of pollution and the High Court of Bombay at Goa taking suo motu cognisance of the case.
The Board observed that the 12 mining leases were granted ECs under the 1994 EIA Notification for a period of two years only, while in case of other mines, the ECs were granted solely under the 2006 EIA notification.
The Supreme Court in its judgement in an Odisha case, on July 12, 2016 had said, “No party can carry out mining activity without a valid EC granted under the provisions of the EIA notification issued under the EPA 1986.”
The NGT, Pune bench, in its order passed on August 9 directed 25 leaseholders to appear before the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MOEF) on September 7 in connection with implementation of the judgement of the Supreme Court in the matter of Talaulikar & Sons Pvt Ltd versus Union of India & another.
One Shankar Jog and Goa Foundation had moved the NGT on grounds that MoEF was not taking any action to comply with the judgement of the Supreme Court.
