Sattarikar force closure of mine

PTI, PANAJI | 16 April 2011 18:38 IST

Mines Director Arvind Lolayekar

Chowgule & Company, one of Goa's oldest mining firms, was yesterday asked by the state government to stop operations at its mining site in Gawanem village in Sattari taluka for allegedly violating environmental norms.

The mine in Sattari taluka, about 60km from here, was reportedly partly operational in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and also on the Government-owned land.

Mines and Geology Department issued the stop work order after villagers protested at their office here.

The order, issued by the department's director, Arvind Lolienkar, said the firm does not have consent for mining at the site under the Water and Air Pollution Act. The mine also did not have clearance under the Wildlife Protection Act.

"The mine will not be allowed to restart till they submit the required permissions," officials said.

The villagers had been carrying out an agitation against the mine, claiming their trucks had ravaged Gawanem, from where around 1,300 tonnes of iron ore had been extracted.

Janaseva Pratisthan, a body of locals which had taken up the cause, in a petition to the Government had said part of the mine falls within Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and was just 500 metres away from a rivulet.

They had claimed that the mine's air and water consents had expired in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

After a series of memorandums from the locals, the department sent a team at the site for inspection.

The team had reported that the mining activity was taking place within the sanctuary and also on the government land, which was not permissible, the officials said.


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Previous Comments

This all is a farce, if all of us recollect , there was a by-election had just few days ago in valpoi constituency and this particular mine falls under valpoi.

BJP candidate has opposed any mine in this constituency and Mr. Vishwajit Rane and openly supported the mine in sattari.

Now people have voted to Mr. Rane. He won by Garnering 83 per cent votes, Congress candidate and health minister Vishwajeet Rane swept the Valpoi bye-election. His BJP opponent Santosh Haldankar could get hardly 3237 votes, against 11,642 polled by Vishwajeet, with a huge margin of 8405.

I am amaized by this demand by some people, I am not a pro mine person but when you have an MLA who will be next CM who supports mine (both legal and ill- legal ) then who are these small section who don’t have vote base are trying to halt the so called people development.?

This looks to be totally farce and publicity stunts.

- Balji, Honda | 19 th April 2011 15:23

 

this all is just farce for few days till the hot air flow is stop. people of this state are ether helpless of fearful . we will have to see "who the "mashiha" will come or erupt to save this onces beautiful golden GOA.

This government must be replaced with good people for assembly 2012 election . people must vote good ,social, less corrupt or non corrupt people who do respect emotions then money.

- amol, goa | 17 th April 2011 23:24

 

The racketshould be broken and corrupt officials including politicians should be punished. it is our duty to protect our natural resources, selling natural resourcesto earn money is like selling your mother to earn money. we should retain and preserve our mother earth.

- padmacharan, Chennai | 17 th April 2011 21:59

 

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