Illegal mining: HC notice to govt on revenue loss PANAJI: The high court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday issued notices to the director of mines (DoM), Goa State Pollution Control Board ( GSPCB) and Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in a public interest litigation (PIL) pointing out revenue loss to the state exchequer pegged at over 10,000 crore due to illegal mining.
The court has sought replies from the government authorities and posted the matter for hearing on September 27. The state, which has to answer to the commission on illegal mining constituted by the Central government, now has to also respond to allegations made in the PIL. A division bench comprising justice A P Lavande and justice R P Sondurbaldota issued the notices after hearing the PIL filed by Mapusa NGO Goa Foundation challenging illegal extraction of ore in excess of statutory permitted limits. The petition points out that as per publications of the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association about 20.4 million tonnes of ore have been illegally extracted from 2002 to 2010 and exported, leading to a loss of revenue valued at 10,800 crore at $120 (approximately 6,000) per tonne. Appearing for Goa Foundation advocate Norma Alvares sought directions to the authorities to install a comprehensive information and communication technology (ICT) based system for monitoring and control of production, transport and sale of mineral ore produced in the state within a time frame. The government must oversee mining activity in the state and ensure adequate controls over quantities of ore produced and transported, Alvares suggested. All mine owners must also be directed to erect name boards at mine entrances which will disclose relevant details and permissions to operate, she submitted. Goa Foundation also sought reliefs to prevent illegal mining in the forthcoming mining season which commences in November. >From P1 The petition also seeks directions to the authorities for implementing measures to enforce the production limits laid down for each mine under the Environment Protection Act, 1986, Water Act, 1974 and Air Act, 1981 and for regulating the transport of ore. The NGO claimed it has carried out research on quantity of ore being extracted from Goa's approximately 91 working mining leases, by collating data from replies given to the state assembly by the mines minister during the past four years. Goa Foundation stated it has tried to match this record against the production limits imposed on these mining leases by the environment clearances and consent orders. It found that a large number of mines have greatly exceeded their production limits during the period 2006-10. Goa Foundation said that the quantities of ore illegally exported from the state are also staggering indicating that in addition to the excess produced, large-scale illegal mining is also taking place, having serious environmental implications. Earlier the court, on August 26, 2011, in another petition filed by the NGO had issued notices to 48 mining companies that had been allegedly carrying on illegal mining having serious environmental implications. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Illegal-mining-HC-notice-to-govt-on-revenue-loss/articleshow/9987679.cms ~Avelino
