By IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Friday halted all mining activities in Goa, including transportation of already mined manganese and iron ore, and sought responses of the union and state governments on an environmental group’s petition.
The apex court’s forest bench of Justice Aftab Alam, Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan and Justice Swatanter Kumar, while directing that all mining operations in the state be halted, also blocked the Goa government’s move to revoke a ban on mining operations after the festival of Diwali.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parikar had earlier announced that the temporary ban imposed on the mining operation in the state would be revoked after Diwali.
Prashant Bhushan, counsel of petitioner Goa Foundation, told the court that in the name of transportation of already extracted ore, illegal mining was continuing in the state.
Bhushan told the court that almost all the mines had encroached forest land and indulged in all kinds of illegalities involving breach of forest, wildlife, environment and mining laws.
He told the court that unless the mining operations were regulated, all the reserves would get exhausted in 10 years.
The court asked the central empowered committee on environmental matters to submit its report on the mining situation in Goa within four weeks.
The court has also sought the Justice Shah panel report on mining in Goa.
The Goa Foundation had moved the apex court Sep 26 seeking direction to the union government not to permit resumption of mining for iron and manganese ores in Goa till the recommendation of Justice M.B. Shah Commission were implemented.
The petitioner, an NGO, had also sought direction for the appointment of an independent authority vested with full powers to take control, supervise and regulate mining operations in Goa and implement provisions of law under the supervision of the apex court.
The NGO’s public interest litigation had also sought setting up of an independent agency to inquire into allegation of large-scale illegal mining in Goa.
The commission of inquiry headed by Justice Shah – a retired Supreme Court judge – was appointed by the union government Nov 22, 2010, to inquiry into illegal mining of iron and manganese ore in contravention of the various provisions, rules, licences and guidelines.
The Justice Shah report, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha Sep 7, said all modes of illegal mining were being committed in Goa causing severe environmental degradation and pollution.
The report said illegal activities were underway since 2000 in Goa and all the 90 mines were functioning without mandatory permission from the National Board for Wildlife and 33 of the mines were within 1.5 km of wildlife sanctuaries.
The Goa Foundation petition alleged that “iron ore worth Rs.35,000 crore was plundered by the mining companies, thereby committing theft of government property”.
After the Justice Shah report came, the Mines and Geology Directorate had suspended all mining operations till October.