Environment Ministry orders inspection of dump mining activity in Goa
Ministry of Environment & Forests has issued order to undertake
detail inspection by the officials of Regional Office of Ministry at Bangalore
and Zonal Office of the Central Pollution Control Board at Bangalore to
ascertain whether dump mining activity is taking place in the State of Goa, The
Union Minister of Environment & Forests (Independent Charge) Smt. Jayanthi
Natarajan informed Mr. Shantaram Naik MP, in the Rajya Sabha today in a
written reply.
Replying further to the star question of Mr. Naik, on the issue of
dumps, listed as no. 1, in the list of business, which could not be taken
up due to disruption of House, Smt. Natarajan further informed Mr. Naik that,
“it came to the notice of the Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) that
mining from low grade ore/rejects dumps is being carried out in the State of
Goa without obtaining requisite prior environment clearance. The environment
clearance granted by MoEF, under the provisions of the Environment Impact
Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2006 is based on the scope of work as envisaged
at the time of obtaining environment clearance.
Minister further said, “ The environment clearance granted by MoEF to the
mining projects in the State of Goa did not include dump mining within their
scope. As such, any change in scope of project with respect to the scope for
which environment clearance was obtained amounts to the violation of the
environment (Protection) Act, 1986. MoEF has asked the State Government to
take necessary action stop forthwith all such mining activities and initiate
action under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 and the Rules framed
thereunder against all those projects involved in dump mining without requisite
prior environment clearance.
The Minister further informed Mr. Naik that, “The Stat Government has responded
stating inter alia that since 9.3.2012 till date, no dump mining or illegal
mining has been allowed in the State. The State Government has also stated
that, though they are yet to form their opinion, as per the legal opinions
available with them quantity of ore sold, proposed to be sold, from the
existing dumps/rejection stacks/overburden does not require fresh permission /
clearance from MoEF and that no environment clearance is required while
removing the mineral ore dumps, whether by the State Government or by the
mining lessee”.
“The full details of these legal opinions, including the context in which they
were sought, have not been shared by the State Government with MoEF”, minster
said.
Shantaram Naik
