Despite Union Ministry of Mines legalized dumping of iron ore rejects outside lease areas after seeking necessary forest and environmental clearances, Goan Environment Minister said he won’t allow dumping of rejected ore in protected areas.
Mr. Rajendra Arlekar, Environment & Forest Minister (Goa) said on 31 May’16 that – “We will not allow the rejected iron ore to be dumped in the forest or protected areas any more”.
Though new dumps would not be allowed in the forest and protected areas, the state government is studying the amended MMDR Amendment Bill, 2016 to handle the issue of existing dumps in those areas, he added.
Prior to this the Union Mines Ministry amended the Mines and Minerals Development Regulation (MMDR) Act 2015 legalizing dumping of ore outside lease boundaries.
MMDR Amendment Bill 2016 states that “It was also felt necessary to define “leased area” in order to expand the scope of lease area by including therein dumping of mineral rejects.”
Thus as per the amendment, mining lease holders are entitled to dump mining waste or rejects from the mines in land adjacent to the lease area even if such areas do not fall within the area covered by the mining lease, subject to necessary environmental, forest and other clearances.
~ Sourced
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