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Sangath, www.sangath.com, is looking to build a centre for services, training and research and seeks to buy approx 1500 to 2000 sq mtrs land betweeen Mapusa and Bambolim and surrounding rural areas. Please contact: [email protected] or [email protected] or ph+91-9881499458 http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2009-July/180028.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------ “ http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/goa-news/1621-govt-helpless-in-stopping-illegal-mining-in-forests “Govt helpless in stopping illegal mining in forests” 04 August 2009 *God help us fellow Goans!!! If **Goa** government is helpless in stopping illegal mining in forests, is there any hope of them being able to regulate the legal mining? I read the Navind Times report in disbelief and here are my thoughts: * QUOTE: PANAJI: The Minister for Forests, Mr Filipe Neri Rodrigues on Monday expressed helplessness of his department to stop illegal mining activities in forest land due to the absence of teeth to the existing state Environment Act and said that he is seeking legal opinion about the possibility of bringing an amendment to this legislation so as to strengthen the same. “ *Perhaps the Minister can just unleash the brute force directed against the villagers, victims of the so called “legal” mining operations, whose only crime has been defending their livelihoods. This will give the **Goa**police a chance to use their brute force on the right targets! But in any case, what took the Minister so long to get a set of good “dentures” for the State Environment Act? After all, **Goa** is in the Dentistry tourism trade for a long time and doing extremely well! * QUOTE: The Minister for Forests also said that the forest department cannot obstruct illegal mining activities in the forest land unless such activities are found to contaminate the water sources. " *Is this a joke?! So the fact that they are illegal is beside the point!?? The fact that they are cutting trees is beside the point!?? Who the hell invented this forestry legislation and why is it that only now did the Minister of Forests realised the absurdity of this law? So what about the legal mines Mr Minister of Forests, they are polluting and drying up entire aquifers! Why are they not stopped from doing their mining activity?* QUOTE: Maintaining that the central act supersedes all state acts, Mr Rodrigues said that a buffer zone of 50 metres does exist for mining activities taking place along the forest areas “ *Another joke! 50 meters buffer zone!!!? Given that the mining in **Goa**produces 4 tones of rejects for each tone of ore, 50 meters of buffer zone must surely be a joke! Where the hell are the mining rejects going to be dumped? Have the mining legislation in **Goa** been written by a bunch of cowboy mine owners?.... And what have all the past state Ministers of Forests in Goa been doing up to this day to have not realised that these laws are inadequate to protect the environment, forests and water in Goa?* QUOTE : ….and the central government issues the environmental clearance to such mines after considering this buffer zone " *For your information Minister, according to Goa Foundation’s recently published book “Goa – Sweet Land of Mine” none of the environment clearances granted were issued after a site visit – as a result many mines that should have been halted were allowed to continue and concessions that should have never been given have been approved. Did you know that? * QUOTE : The state government has however constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Conservator of Forests to monitor illegal mining in the state," he maintained, informing that till date 2 illegal cases of mining have been detected by the committee, during its functioning. The leader of the Opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar informed that the central government gives environmental clearances based on some guidelines while the state has a ready legislation based on which it can take decisions. *Well done! 2 illegal cases of mining have been detected by the committee! Are you searching by using a bullock cart for transport? And if they are not polluting water, I suppose you let them continue with the destruction of forests ?* *Let’s hope it is not a “toothless” committee under the chairmanship of the Chief Conservator of Forests. If this committee has some teeth, it should also monitor the so called “legal” mining activities, which no one seems to monitor and are creating havoc with the environment. * QUOTE : The Minister for Forests also assured the House that he would discuss the issue with the mining department, to arrest illegal mining activities in forest land.” *What about the Minister taking this opportunity to also discuss the “legal” mining activities which is also froth with irregularities and criminal devastation of the environment - destruction of agricultural land, forests, wild life, drying of water tables, pollution of rivers, impact on people’s health, and disregard for the legislation about rehabilitation of the exploited land! Who is going to start work on that and when? * *QUOTE: *Replying to another question related to the department of forests, Mr Rodrigues assured the House that henceforth the government would reduce planting of Acacia trees as they have been planted in Goa to such an extent that they have almost become poisonous for the environment. He also informed that the department of forests would plant fruit-bearing trees. *What kind of people are in charge of forestry that plant acacias to the point of poisoning the environment? How incompetent can you all be! ? Don’t you know yet about the effect of monocultures? What’s wrong with the other hundreds of varieties of trees in **Goa**? Why did you have to pick a species that will damage the environment? Was it for short-term profits as usual?* *QUOTE*: Mr Manohar Parrikar said that the survival rate of other kinds of newly planted trees by the department of forests is not even 65 per cent. He also demanded to know the reason as to why the government did not use the central funds received under the Bamboo Mission. *Common Manohar ! How many trees survived when you were in power? And as for the Bamboo **Mission**…don’t tell me ! China’s demand of iron ore is destroying our forests, and now they want us to plant bamboos to feed theirPandas! !! Why Bamboos and not Mangoes? * QUOTE: The Minister for Forests said that a committee is yet to be constituted to decide the implementation of the scheme under Bamboo Mission in Goa, upon which Mr Parrikar retorted, "When you cannot even form a committee in one year's time, it would be too much on my part to expect planting of bamboos in the state." *Why do you need a committee to plant bamboos?! Just plant cajus instead ! If nothing can be done without the decision of committees, it shows there is no one experienced and knowledgeable enough in the department, and no one with the courage to take full responsibility for the implementation of jobs they are being paid for! With committees it is much easier to keep passing the bucket! What has happen to leadership? !* ** *Carmen* * * http://www.navhindtimes.in/news/goa-news/1621-govt-helpless-in-stopping-illegal-mining-in-forests
