The Hindu Business Line : Setback for Goa iron ore mining industry

Taking a serious view of the bypassing of its orders not to grant unilateral permission to mine in forest areas, the court has stayed 18 temporary working permits issued by the Ministry.

Prakash Kamat

Panaji, Dec. 11 Goa’s private sector iron ore mining and export industry is facing hard times on the mining licences front.

While seven mines face closure on account of an order from the Ministry of Environment and Forests in compliance of an earlier Supreme Court directive, another 18 mines will be impacted on account of the apex court’s intervention over an indiscretion on the part of the Ministry.

Taking a serious view of the bypassing of its orders not to grant unilateral permission to mine in forest areas, the Supreme Court last Friday stayed 18 temporary working permits issued by the Ministry.

The Court had passed an order on April 27, 2007 that in future all forest clearances issued by the Ministry would be sent to it for its approval after a report by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).

However, on November 21 the Ministry even as the earlier clearances came to an end, issued fresh temporary working permits for one year “on pragmatic considerations”.

On November 27, the Goa Foundation, an environmental NGO, filed an application under the Right to Information Act seeking information on the permits issued.

The Foundation early last week filed a complaint with the CEC asking for urgent intervention, Mr Claud Alvares, Director, Goa Foundation, told Business Line. The CEC acted on the complaint and filed a detailed report before the apex court.

The Supreme Court while staying the permits directed the Government to file a reply explaining how the permits had been issued in contravention of its order.

In another related case, the Environment Ministry by a recent order rejected environment clearance for seven mining leases in Goa on the ground that they were within one km of the buffer zone of wildlife sanctuaries.

Following the Ministry’s order, the mine owners moved the Supreme Court via applications, which came up for hearing on December 6 and were posted for next hearing in January.

Iron ore mining is a major industry in the State with exports of around 35 million tonnes of iron ore annually earning close to Rs 2,000 crore in foreign exchange.

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