Pollution board asked for report on illegal stone mining

PANAJI: National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) to furnish a progress report about the steps taken against illegal stone mining, including prosecution and recovery of compensation due to environmental damage.

The government has also been asked to consider constituting a special task force to deal with this issue.

The NGT passed the order after hearing applications, which pointed out that no action was taken against illegal mining and the government’s failure to close mines after the operations had stopped. While seeking details about the prohibitory and coercive measures, the tribunal said the coercive measures may not be confined to the cases before it but can cover the entire state.

The chief secretary has been asked to monitor the progress at least once a month about the directions issued by the tribunal in its earlier order with regards to this issue.

The applicants before the NGT stated that operators had made several huge pits to excavate basalt, masonry and rubble stones in Pernem and other talukas, but after excavation, the pits were not scientifically closed.

Non-closure, the applicants said, cause disturbance in the eco-system of the area, besides being a potential trap for human and wildlife tragedy. Yet, no action was taken against illegal operators by the statutory authorities and mining was done without environmental clearances obtained, even as areas mined were government properties, the applicants stated before the green tribunal.

The NGT did not appreciate the stand taken by the directorate of mines and geology that it is powerless in the face of such violations. Its stand, NGT observed, “cannot be upheld and shows lack of knowledge and will to check violations of law”.

The advocate general told NGT that there is need to educate officers dealing with the situation.

Apart from prohibiting illegalities, recovering compensation for damage, and confiscating equipment and vehicles, the illegal operators can be black listed, he said, and assured that authorities will take corrective measures.

The NGT suggested that that the state government “may undertake a training programme for its officers for upholding the environmental laws”.