Government cancels public hearing on opening of mine at Cavrem

Margao: The public hearing with regard to the opening of a new iron ore mining lease in Cavrem, Quepem, which was scheduled to be held on Tuesday, at Maina, has been cancelled.
A public notice issued on Sunday by member secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) Shamila Monteiro announcing the cancellation of the public hearing, however, cites no reason for the move. The notice simply states that the development is “in view of the direction issued by the district magistrate, South Goa”.
Sources, however, said that the district magistrate relied on a report submitted by the South Goa police about the likelihood of a law-and-order situation arising out of the possibility of a protest by the people against the mining lease, to issue directions to GSPCB to cancel the public hearing.
While that’s the official posturing, it’s more than obvious that the move has come on the heels of social welfare minister Subhash Phal Dessai taking an unambiguous stand against the new mining project in Cavrem, the village he hails from. Phal Dessai even attended the gram sabha of the Cavrem Pirla panchayat recently, where the issue was discussed, and pledged his wholehearted support to the locals in opposing the mining lease.
“Locals are vehemently opposed to the idea of starting a new mine in the village. This village is located in a forest area and is blessed with rich biodiversity and abundance of flora and fauna. Relics of ancient civilisations abound in this village. The proposed mining project threatens to destroy all this, and I am with the villagers in opposing the project,” Phal Dessai had told reporters after attending the gram sabha.
Opposition to the proposed project has been brewing in the village ever since a public notice was issued for the environment public hearing. Claiming that the work of demarcation of the land for the proposed mining project was done by keeping them in the dark, the villagers had said they would put up a strong and united opposition against opening the mining lease.
“Mining has already wrought destruction in the Cavrem-Rivona belt. Hills have been destroyed, plantations have disappeared, and mining opponents have suffered atrocities by the police and the mining lobby. This village has had enough,” a villager said, summing up the mood of the villagers.
As per the draft environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for the Zamblidadga Dongor Iron and Manganese Ore Mine at Cavrem, which has a lease area of 70.2 ha, the lessee has proposed to mine 0.5 tonnes of iron ore per annum. The proposal is for a new project for which environmental clearance is being sought.