Wednesday, Aug 03,
The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has directed 19 mines to shut down their operations in the absence of consent under the Air and Water Pollution Control Act.
The GSPCB Chairman, Mr Simon De Souza, said the mines have been asked to shut down their operations immediately after receiving the notice. They will be allowed to restart only after getting the consent under the Air and Water Pollution Control Act.
According to board officials, the notice for 16 more mines to stop operations would also be issued anytime soon. In all, 35 out of about 105 mines in the state were found to be operating without the mandatory consent under environment laws.
Goa exported 54 million tonnes of ore during the last financial year collecting a royalty of Rs 900 crore. And the closure of these mines would prove a major setback for the iron ore export trade.
Source: The Business Line
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