Over 50,000 trees cut for mining
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 11 April 2013 12:52 IST
Around 50,000 trees were destroyed in five years due to mining.
Almost 93 per cent of the tree felling has been allowed legally by the environment and forest ministry.
As per the official information supplied by forest minister Alina Saldanha to Goa Assembly, nine lease holders cut over 45,000 trees, legally.
Some of the prominent mine owners involved in illegal tree cutting are Chowgules, Timblos, Dempos, Fomento, Shantilal Khushaldas, Salgaoncar and Sesa Goa.
Only 35 cases however have been registered for illegal felling of trees, since 2007 to 2011, with little over 3300 trees believed to have been cut.
The forest department records indicate that 26 mining leases partially fall in the forest area.
The forest area covered by these leases is almost 63 per cent – 1282 hectares out of total lease area of 2041 hectares.
One lease of 34 hectares belonging to Atmaram X Poi Palondicar falls fully in the forest area.
The nine lease holders who legally sought environment clearance and cleared trees are the following:
MINING LEASE (IN HACTARES) & TREES FELLED
|
Lease Holder |
Total Area |
Forest Area |
Trees Felled |
|
Sociedade Timblo Irmaos Ltd |
94 |
88.60 |
1775 |
|
Haider Kassim Khan |
83.67 |
71.90 |
12,403 |
|
Rajesh Timblo |
69.47 |
38.60 |
3686 |
|
Buddrudin Mavani |
100 |
71.41 |
3687 |
|
Atmaram Palondikar |
34.18 |
34.18 |
6716 |
|
V S Dempo & Co Pvt Ltd |
71.90 |
64.75 |
2849 |
|
V S Dempo & Co Pvt Ltd |
97.68 |
84.62 |
5255 |
|
Ajit V M Kadnekar |
88.15 |
34.19 |
4269 |
|
Ajit V M Kadnekar |
31.16 |
14.34 |
4470 |
|
TOTAL |
670.21 |
502.59 |
45110 |
There are also 35 cases of illegal tree felling registered, out of which three cases have been filed against unknown persons.
One such case, where 113 trees are cut illegally, falls in the lease area of V S Dempo and two cases – cutting 194 trees – are outside the lease area in Vaghurme in Sattari taluka.
There is one case of illegal tree felling registered in the lease area of Chowgule & Co Pvt Ltd involving bulldozing and destroying trees in 5040 sq mts of area. The number of trees is not mentioned.
Trees were literally buried in the lease area of Pandurang Timblo. They were fined only Rs 2200.
In fact there are 14 cases where the lease holder was compounded with a meager amount of fine.
One tree cutting cost them at the most Rs 7000 per tree in some cases and as low as Rs 185 per tree in some cases.
And there are seven cases of illegal cutting of trees where inquiry is still in process for the last three to four years.
Court cases have been filed before the JMFC only in four such cases.
Drop a comment
Latest News
- Deficit budget presented, but no taxes! Each Goan has a Rs 1.46 lakh loan!!
- BJP bottle of ‘imported wine’ wins 20, forming Govt in Goa with ‘professional defectors’
- Dr Suresh Amonkar loses Covid battle, 8th death in Goa
- Will anti-CAA rally of Church change political equations in Goa?
- Congress won South Goa, but BJP gained!
- SC again stops Goa mining from 16 March, orders fresh ECs & recover dues
- NGT orders 25 miners to appear before MoEF, face closure threat
- Fearing another attempt of arrest, Digambar seeks interim bail
- Goa police summons Ex-CM Digambar in mining scam
- Properties of Digambar and Churchill attached in Louis Berger scam
Mining
- SC again stops Goa mining from 16 March, orders fresh ECs & recover dues
- NGT orders 25 miners to appear before MoEF, face closure threat
- Fearing another attempt of arrest, Digambar seeks interim bail
- Goa police summons Ex-CM Digambar in mining scam
- Dr Claude supports AAP stand on mining, with objections
- New SC order likely to halt mining of 40 leases, until…
- Centre to hold all-state meet in Goa on illegal mining
- Caurem tribals march to Panaji, approaching SC to expose illegalities
- Will Govt probe both Ravindra and Fomento, if it was a bribe?
- Was crop damage compensation to Caurem shown as extortion by Fomento?
