After years of total disregard for the environment with rampant illegalities, especially in the mining sector, the Goa government could have woken up to the fact that it needs to act - the future of this State depends on it.
According to reports, the Goa govt has put 91 mining leases under the scanner for possible violations of environmental norms. Could this be the start of a new phase in environmental protection in Goa?
78 operators have been issued notice to produce documents relating to environmental clearances. This is in addition to the 13 mines that have been asked to stop-work.
It could be the start of a new phase in environmental protection in the state. Then again, the same govt recommended "zero buffer zones" for wildlife sanctuaries in Goa. The dual signals need a lot of clarification. After all, the mining lobby, both within as well as outside the government is powerful indeed.
Goa's 103 leased mines produce 33 million tonnes of iron ore, bauxite and manganese ore, which are exported largely to China and Japan. And there's big money there.
Sebastian Rodrigues, a strong anti-mining activist had this to say:
It is good sign that State Polution Control Board is contemplating action. But legality of the mines is a secondary question. Goa cannot afford any mines whatsover. All the mines in Goa must be shut down.
The RP-2021 document has listed Sattari, Sanguem, Quepem and Canacona as Western Ghats talukas in Goa. How come then you let mining to destroy these talukas? Both legal mines as well as illegal mines must see the shut down and land reclaimation work be started on war footing. Goa is bleeding due to mining at a rapid pace and this trend has to be reversed. The hold of mining companies over Goa must end.
Ban legal & illegal mining
I am from Canacona and I am a testimony to what mining has done to this region since past 3 decades. Local villagers have lost their homes due to illegal grabing of land and migrated to cities, the place is not suitable for vegetation and hence uncultivable, ground water level has got depleted, loss of wild life and most importantly GOA loses its identity of being an ecological & pristine Land if this not checked seriously by the Government.
It's ironical, strange and at
It's ironical, strange and at some level simply stupid that two of the same govt's departments are upto such diametrically oposite work. While the town planning department has set up a buffer zone of almost 2-3 kms round wildlife sanctuaries in the RP 21....the Forest department feels no need of it at al. Whats also strange is that its the very same report that mentions the existence of 2 TIGERS in the sanctuary.
The report also states that no mining in zero buffer zones will be allowed from "sunset to sunrise". A subtle way of saying carry it all out in the day time. Its a loophole that the mining lobby has already begun exploiting. 3 mines have been granted temporary permissions based on this zero buffer zone report. When I asked the CCF, in his defense he said " well if the court turns it down then we will withdraw the permission." Of course, what hapens to the devstation already taken place, is for no one to answer.
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