Suspension of Environment clearances for 99 Mines in Goa

The environment ministry on 12 September 2012 suspended the clearance of environmental guidelines issued to 93 mines across Goa. The ministry claimed that the companies involved in mining actives have been taunting the forest laws.

To get afresh clearance on the environment clearances the companies will have to deposit relevant documents to the ministry.  Minister of State for Environment and Forests Jayanti Natarajan cleared that the previous clearances were made on the wrong facts, which were submitted to the ministry by the state government and not finely verified by the MoEF officials. The minister also cleared his stance that officials, found guilty will face punishments as per law. Bodies identified for their involvement in illegal mining as per the reprot are the state directorate of mines, the union ministry for environment and forests (MoEF), Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the state forest department and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).

The action of suspension of the clearances was based on the report submitted by the Justice M B Shah Commission that stated about presentation of wrong facts for winning clearances on mining. As per the report this scam of iron ore mining in Goa worth approximately 35000 crore and was spread over an area of 500 hectares out of which several hundred acres are a part of forest area and land owned by the government. As per the voluminous report, the iron ore was exported to China unchecked, unregulated and unrestricted by the mining operators under the guidance of central government agencies as well as the state government.