Centre assures SC action against those issued ECs

PTI, NEW DELHI | 25 September 2013 23:09 IST

The Centre on Wednesday conceded before the Supreme Court that most of the environment clearance certificates (ECCs), granted to Goa mining firms during 2005 to 2010, were “indefensible” and action would be taken against private expert bodies that had conducted the environmental impact assessment (EIA) on miners’ pleas for ECCs.

The apex court, which is hearing the matter on a day-to-day basis, also took strong note of pleas of mining firms that if the court is going to consider the findings of the Justice MB Shah Commission in its judgement, then they (miners) be also given opportunities to challenge the report.

Supreme Court of India. AFP The Shah panel report had indicted almost all the miners saying illegal extraction of iron ore during last 12 years had caused a loss of Rs 35,000 crore to the state exchequer.

Advancing his arguments for the first time in the case for Ministries of Environment and Forests (MoEF) and the Mining, Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran said “I may concede that Environment Clearance Certificates (ECCs) were granted considering environmental impact assessment of private experts and most of them (ECCs) are indefensible.”

“Which means, now you say that Environment Clearance Certificates (ECCs) are indefensible and the appraisals were done by the private experts body,” the bench comprising justices A K Patnaik, S S Nijjar and F M Ibrahim Kalifulla, said and asked Parasaran to apprise it of actions taken on the issue.

While objecting to the submissions of mining firms, the bench said “don’t take a very strong plea, if we decide that the mining should remained stopped, then it will remain so.”

“Do not make technical argument that I did not get an opportunity to challenge the Shah Commission report. Mining can remain closed forever as we have power under Articles 32 and 21 of the Constitution,” the bench said.

Detailing the procedure of grant of ECCs, Parasaran said first the applications are screened and then the Expert Appraisal Committee (EIA) examines the pleas and related documents before giving reasoned categorical recommendations either for grant or denial of ECCs to mining firms.

At present, the ECCs, granted to Goa miners mostly during 2005-2010, are suspended and the MoEF would take “separate action” against private experts body.

The bench also asked the counsel for MoEF to apprise it of actions taken against mining firms which were operational near national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the state.


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GET BACK THE LOOTED MINING AMOUNT OF 35,000 CORERS. CHECK MINING AFFECTED PEOPLES PROPERTIES (SHOPS, FLATS, PLOTS, ETC).

- JOSE ROD, GOA | 26 th September 2013 14:05

 

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