Govt assures a new CZMP with people’s views
Plan to be drafted by Environment Department in consultation with CZMA, GSPCB, scientists PORVORIM: In a major victory to the people, the State government on Tuesday announced it woud draft a fresh
Herald (Panjim)
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MoEF’s affidavit sticks to its stand on clearance for mines
PANJIM: The Union Ministry of Environment and Forests in its affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, stated it has no objection to the present petition being heard on merit, sticking to its earlier stand that in case a mining project is located within 10 kms from a wildlife sanctuary or national park, environmental clearance should be accorded subject to obtaining clearance from the standing committee of the National Board of Wildlife. This clearance puts the onus on the mine owner to submit an application and obtain wildlife clearance under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1973 “…as the environment clearance process is a parallel exercise and independent of any other statutory clearances.”
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NABARD sanctions Rs 141 cr to State
PANJIM: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned a loan of Rs 141.10 crore to Goa under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) which government proposes to
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Mines dept issues NOC to firm for exporting ore
PANJIM: In a decision that has set the alarm bells ringing, the Department of Mines and Geology has issued an NOC to a trading company, Prime Minerals, effectively owned by Timblo–run Fomento group to transport and export ore through Goa, officials said, opening up a debate on whether this circumvents the total ban orders on transport and export issued by the Supreme Court and whether it effectively amounts to contempt of court. The decision has raised a furor among activists and members of civil society, who termed the decision as contempt of court and questioned the hurry in not waiting for the Apex court decision. They also expressed fears that the mining illegalities and pollution would come to haunt Goa, as the State would return to square one.
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Authorities overlooked waste at Cuncolim industrial plots?
MARGAO: The plots containing the hazardous waste finally lay sealed at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, but questions have come to the fore how the authorities overlooked the 20,000 tons of waste in the two plots while granting permissions to the present occupier the Axis to use the land for industrial purpose. Questions are being raised whether the authorities, including the Goa State Pollution Control Board, the Industrial Development Corporation and the SBI Stressed Assets Management, Mumbai were more concerned with granting permissions for the present occupier than tackling the existing waste. The roles of these authorities have come into sharp focus as the occupier The Axis has maintained they are being made a scapegoat for the tons of waste lying at the plots before they could take possession.
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Mines Dept kicks off lease renewal process
PANJIM: As the mining lobby waits with baited breath for the Supreme Court judgement on the writ petition, things began to churn at the State level with the Department of Mines and Geology Monday starting the process of renewing mining leases pending since 2007 and getting an ‘in-principle’ approval for renewal of one mine, an official disclosed. The department’s proposal was cleared ‘in principle’ by Chief Minister and Mines Minister Manohar Parrikar and then sent to the Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni for legal approval.
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Plots containing hazardous waste at Cuncolim sealed
MARGAO: Twenty-one days after the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) directed the district Collector, South to seal the two plots in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate, the Deputy Collector, Margao sealed the premises on Monday morning. The sealing exercise, which started at 8.45 in the morning was completed after a hour, but before the Administrative Tribunal could take up hearing of the application for stay filed by the Axis at 10.30 am.
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Plastic, other waste set ablaze at Merces
MERCES: Miscreants set afire plastic and other waste stored in the collection centre near Shantaban-Merces in the wee hours of Sunday. A rickshaw which was used in transporting the collected plastic waste was also gutted in the fire as it was parked inside the collection centre. Fire personnel informed Herald that they received a call from one of the residents of Shantaban Colony at about 2.30 am stating that there was fire at the plastic collection centre.
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GSPCB drops show cause notices, ball in IBM court
PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has discharged all show cause notices issued to 43 mining firms, over excess iron ore production (beyond the environment clearance limit), claiming that the Board is not in a position to verify the data and pointing out that the Supreme Court is currently seized of the matter. Goa Foundation, which had submitted the data, has already withdrawn from the matter as the Apex Court is seized of it based on its PIL. The Board said “as there is no conclusive evidence before them” regarding the mining units having exceeded permissible limits in extraction of mineral ore, which can only be conclusively verified by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) that is the relevant authority to verify it, it was disposing off the matter.
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GSPCB officials inspect Colva fields
MARGAO: The Goa State Pollution Control Board and Health officials on Thursday inspected waste water discharged in the fields at Colva on Thursday. Following a complaint from activist Judith Almeida, Goa State Pollution Control Board and health officials descended at Colva and collected water samples from the fields and storm water drains. Almeida said that sewage waste is being discharged in the drains, which has now found its way in the fields, which then flows into the Colva creek.
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Sanguem locals irked over unhygienic water supply
SANGUEM: Villagers residing at Valkini Colony, Bomod and Dessai Waddo in Sanguem have bitterly complained about poor quality of drinking water supplied to the area. “Dirt has accumulated in the storage tanks and we have made several complaints regarding the poor quality of water supply, but officials are yet to solve our problems,” stated a villager.