Mining firms told to temporarily stop iron ore transportation

The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has asked 12 mining firms to stop transportation of iron ore through Sonshi village till May 5.
The direction came after the residents of the village in Sattari taluka, located 45km from Panaji, complained of dust pollution caused by transportation of iron ore. All these firms have operations around Sonshi.
The GSPCB officials took the decision at a meeting this evening attended by representatives of these firms and senior bureaucrats.
The persistent dust pollution had led the villagers to launch an agitation during which they blocked trucks carrying iron ore last month.
Forty-five villagers, including women, were arrested for blocking the trucks carrying iron ore. They later refused to sign the bail bond and stayed in jail for 13 days. The matter was resolved after intervention by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who assured to look into their problem.

"Last week, GSPCB refused to grant consent to 12 out of 13 mining leases in the village to operate and asked them to furnish detailed plans to curb the dust pollution," GSPCB member-secretary Lavinson Martins told reporters.
"During the meeting, the mining companies submitted their respective plans. These plans would be discussed in the next meeting on May 5 and till then they have been asked to stop transportation of iron ore through Sonshi," he said.
Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma chaired the meeting.