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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Velsao selected for door-to-door dry waste collection
PANJIM: Velsao panchayat in Cortalim constituency will be the first to have door to door collection of dry waste as part of a pilot project by Department of Science, Technology & Environment in collaboration with the Directorate of panchayats. Speaking to media persons, after the meeting with officials of the directorate of panchayats and ‘experts’ on the garbage management including Levinson Martins, the Member Secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board, Patricia Pinto CCP councillor, Clinton Vaz and others, Environment Minister Alina Saldanha said that after trying out the system for a month, they would take it to other panchayats as well.
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New law to penalise those dumping waste in open areas
PANJIM: The State government has drafted a legislation under which penalty would be imposed on those who litter open areas, especially with bio-degradable waste. The legislation would be discussed at a meeting scheduled to decide various means of garbage collection in panchayat areas, on Tuesday. Environment Minister Alina Saldanha told reporters that the government was very keen in enacting the legislation on a priority basis and hence the same would be discussed in a meeting scheduled with Directorate of Panchayat, Tuesday.
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Anna strikes a green chord
PANJIM: Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday appealed to India Against Corruption (IAC) volunteers to take the mining issue in Goa, to the grassroots and assured that it would also figure in his nationwide campaign starting January, 2013. “On the issue of mining you should go to the grassroot level. Create awareness about this issue, how our nation’s minerals and environment are sold,” Hazare told the IAC meeting in the city. He urged volunteers to create awareness by asking ‘what are we leaving behind for our future generations’.
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Govt’s balancing act between tribals and Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary
The govt is treading cautiously inorder to develop infrastructure for the tribal community and at the same time maintains no human habitat near the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary The State government will have to strike a fine balance between human and animal welfare, as it plans to develop infrastructure for the tribal community located within the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary (CWS) in Canacona.
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Mining dependents object to 10-km buffer zone
PANJIM: Ministry of Environment and Forests’ (MoEF) affidavit to the Supreme Court recommending 10-km buffer zone around the protected areas has been strongly objected by the mining dependents, who demand
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Mining ban stays, CEC-MoEF confrontation looms
There was no order on Friday of the three-judge environment Bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Aftab Alam on the cessation of all iron ore mining activities in Goa it ordered on October 5. The
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Punish if guilty or else allow mining to restart: mine owners
PANJIM: Mine owners in the State have told the Supreme Court appointed Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC) that they can be punished if they are guilty but if they are not, they should be allowed to restart legal mines as early as possible. Various stakeholders including owners of trucks, barges, machinery and mine owners had urged CEC to start mining, during its four day visit, earlier this week. The mine owners who met the three member committee headed by P V Jayakrishnan, twice during their visit made their best attempt to put across the social and economic impact of mining ban on the State.
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GSPCB to withhold air, water renewal consent to mines
PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board has decided to defer its decision on the renewal of Air and Water consent (consent to operate) of 107 mines, on Thursday pending Supreme Court judgment on mining in Goa. The GSPCB during the special meeting called to discuss the issue, also passed the order ruling out the argument mooted by 48 mining companies challenging Board’s jurisdiction to hear them over excess iron ore produced by them, as was claimed by Goa Foundation.
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Locals fear diesel seepage into natural water bodies
PONDA: Even as Ponda Police has registered an offence against the bus driver involved in the mishap that claimed the life of a lecturer, residents of Konem have raised fears over a possible threat to natural water resources due to a diesel leakage from the tanker. It may be recalled that a speeding Ponda-bound passenger bus collided with a tanker loaded with diesel along the highway at Konem near Farmagudi Police outpost on Wednesday evening.
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Diverse views on mining before CEC
PANJIM: The last day of the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee’s stay in Goa witnessed a steady stream of visitors ranging from officials of mining companies, state government and those affected by incessant mining as well as activists to balance the otherwise skewed equation of people securing an audience with the CEC. Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, who said he called on the CEC in his personal capacity as an MLA of Curtorim constituency said that while he did not wish to divulge what he discussed or placed before the CEC, said that he was confident that the CEC and the Supreme Court would arrive at a just and fair resolution of the issue.