Lack of eco clearances may hit Goa's output

Under pressure from the Public Accounts Committee of the legislative assembly, closure of 15 mines has been ordered, while the remaining 47 are on the radar for similar orders.

Around half of Goa’s iron ore output, involving 62 mines, faces closure due to lack of the mandatory valid environment clearances. Under pressure from the Public Accounts Committee of the legislative assembly, closure of 15 mines has been ordered, while the remaining 47 are on the radar for similar orders.

The 15 mines that have been ordered to shut contribute around three million tonnes of Goa’s annual iron ore output of nearly 40 mt. The annual output of the remaining 47 is estimated at around 20 mt. Therefore, if all these mines that do not have either air or water pollution clearance are ordered for closure, the state’s iron ore output will be in deep stress, said Haresh Melwani, a Goa-based miner and exporter.

Since the state’s economy is also dependent largely on mining royalty, closure would mean a problem for the government’s income. Iron ore accounts for 98 per cent of the state’s mineral output in terms of value. Most of the ore produced in Goa is exported primarily to China.

Around 100 mining companies exist in the state, excavating around 35 mt of iron ore every year. A majority are family-owned smaller ones, which think investment on water and air pollution is unnecessary.

Meanwhile, Goa’s draft forest policy introduced in the assembly has not clearly indicated anything about the regulation of mining within wildlife sanctuaries and forest areas.

The policy has simply indicated that the forest should be regulated in line with mining laws. Activists had demanded a buffer zone between forest boundaries and mining sites, on which the policy remained non-committal.

Shashi Kumar, the additional principal chief conservator, thinks “a bare minimum area” can be spared for mining with the sanctions from the state government and union ministry of Environment and Forests.

“The slowing in iron ore demand is expected to start by the end of May for this monsoon. The mines are naturally closed during this period and miners will get five months to get clearances,” said Glenn Kalavampara, secretary, Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association.