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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Govt told to ensure environment safety when allowing dumps export
PANJIM: The Union Mines Ministry has asked Goa government to ensure that there is no environmental degradation while allowing the dumps to be handled for exports. The ministry has also stipulated that any dump handling would be done only after ‘quantification of grade and quantity of ore’ in the heaps of mining rejects piled across the state.
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Parrikar: Governments are encroachers on forest lands!
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday claimed that the governments that disrespect the rights of tribals living in the forest, themselves are encroachers on forest lands and that enactment of Forest Rights Act (FAR) reinforces the right of the tribals living there. “Tribals have not encroached on the forest land. We are the ones who have snatched away their forest rights by encroaching on the forest land,” the chief minister said while addressing an orientation programme on effective implementation of Forest Right Act (FRA), organized by Directorate of Tribal Welfare.
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Two more industrial estates selected for rain water harvesting
PANJIM: After initiating the project at the Verna Industrial Estate, the State government has now proposed to initiate rain water harvesting and ground water recharging in two more industrial estates, the planning and execution of which will begin this year. According to a knowledge paper released during the Investor’s Forum, last week, Pilerne and Kundaim industrial estates are been identified by government for initiating the projects.
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Vasco locals petition GSPCB to postpone hearing on terminal
CORTALIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board's (GSPCB) decision to hold the environmental public hearing for the proposed 7.2 MMTPA Iron-Ore Export Terminal at Mormugao Port has raked up a controversy. The hearing is scheduled on July 24, which happens to be the day on which week-long Shree Damodar Bhajani Saptha festivities commence in the port town.
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Mines official made to pay for attempt to stop illegality
PANJIM: Cleansing government departments will be a hard task, despite claims of transparency and zero tolerance for corruption, as a committed government official of the mines department learnt. A senior officer in the mines department recently warned senior officials of the PWD department of stern action for allowing use of its (PWD) land for large scale illegal sand extraction and stacking it below Amona and Khandola bridge. To his horror, instead of being applauded, the officer was shunted out of the department, and given a lower posting.
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Vijai threatens to move HC if govt fails to stop transfer of mining leases
MARGAO: Coming down heavily on the Parrikar government for consenting to the transfer of mining leases sans auction, Independent MLA Vijai Sardessai has demanded a probe by a House Committee to inquire into the transfer of mining leases in the state. He has threatened to knock the doors of the High Court if the government fails to stop transfer of mining leases, saying transfer of mining leases will only bring hordes of outside mine owners to loot and plunder the state.
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GBA demands action against land-filling near Panjim KTC
PANJIM: Stepping up their campaign against ‘illegal’ land-filling of the mangrove khazan land, behind the Heera Petrol pump near the Kadamba Bus-stand, Panjim, Goa Bachao Abhiyan, has complained to the Town and Country Planning Department and to other authorities, expressing frustration at the lack of action. In a letter sent to the Chief Town Planner, the Member secretary, North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA), Panjim, Police Inspector, Panjim Town Police station and the Member Secretary, Mangrove Society of India, the GBA has asked for prompt action.
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Iron ore declined, bauxite mining production tripled in 2010-11
PANJIM: While iron ore production in Goa declined, bauxite mining tripled during the financial year 2010-11, as indicated by the knowledge paper released during the recently held Investor’s Forum in Panjim. The knowledge paper was released by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar during the Investor’s Forum organized on June 30, by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).
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MoEF to release 30 vultures to safe zones
PANJIM: The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has taken up a program to save vultures from getting extinct. Under this program, 30 young vultures will be ready to fly by year 2014. Dr Asad Rehmani, a senior member of National Board for Willdlife and Director of Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) said that the 30 young vultures will be released from the breeding facilities to the demarcated safe zones at three places.
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Emergency meet held amidst fears of crackdown on mining
SANGUEM: Given the fears of possible crackdown by the government on mining operations at Tolem and Dudhal Mines in Sanguem, the mining dependent people from Sanguem on Sunday convened an emergency meeting