Goa government to document illegal mining activity

The illegal mining activity in Goa will be documented for evaluation by the environmental experts, Goa government?s sub-committee on environment and sustainable development officials said on Monday.

The sub-committee chief Madhav Gadgil said that they are compiling directory of illegal mines as a part of their vision document, which will be ready by 2013.

?We want that illegal mines are eliminated from Goa. We are reaching out to the villages and have sought feedback from the gramsabhas on the mining issue. We will further deliberate on the clash between wishes of the people and government?s action on the crucial issue,? Gadgil told reporters.

The subcommittee, which is a part of the Goa government?s Golden Jubilee development council under Raghunath Mashelkar, also comprises of two other environmental experts – National Institute of Oceanography scientist Satish Shetye and The Energy Resources Institute Ligia Noronha.

?We will get feedback from the gramsabhas whether their suggestions or recommendations have been considered by the government in its decision or not,? he said.

During the project period, Centre for Science and Environment (Goa Branch) will be uploading all the relevant information about the mining leases, mining activity, environmental clearances and Environmental Impact Assessment reports.

The state which has 105 operational mining leases, has exported 45 million metric tones of ore, in the last fiscal year.