Panaji | May 15, 2017: Goa State Pllution Control Board (GSPCB) on Monday will decide on granting consent to operate under Air and Water Acts to 39 mining leases, including 12 mining leases at Sonshi, which have been asked to stop activities.

GSPCB officials have collected the air ambient quality data and are likely to place it before the board meeting. Based on the air quality index, the board will take a decision whether to grant consent to operate. The board has collected the air quality data from the air quality monitoring station including the stations installed by the mining companies.

The last board meeting, under the chairmanship of chief secretary Dharmendra Sharma, deferred the decision to grant the consent to operate as the air quality data was not compiled by the board officials.

The board asked 12 of the 13 mining leases at Sonshi to remain inactive till the air quality report is submitted.

On April 28, the board halted mining in Sonshi village, after it refused permission to 12 of the 13 mining leases to operate in the area due to air pollution.

On April 27, the state pollution control board had issued showcause notices to 13 mining companies for causing significant air pollution in the vicinity of Sonshi.

The high court also said there should be no mining-related traffic on village roads till the show cause notices issued by GSPCB are decided.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)