PANJIM | Dec 27, 2017: The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has deferred its decision on the Goa government request for diversion of 32.33 hectares of additional forest land for iron ore mining lease belonging to Sociedade Timblo Irmaos Limitada. The proposal has been pending since June 2010.

FAC has directed the Regional Office Bangalore to undertake an inspection of the proposed site – TC NO 87 of 1953-Advona Toleamati EGalligro mine in Sanguem – before taking a decision. The Committee also wants to know whether the lease was involved in any litigation and its present status.

FAC at its meeting held on December 20 noted that the total forest land in the mining lease is 45.0336 ha, while the renewal of the mining lease was initially approved by Central government on September 19, 2006 for an area of 12.7021ha for a period of 20 years. “The current proposal is for renewal of mining lease for remaining 32.3315ha of forest land,” the minutes of the meeting stated.

FAC that had initially considered the proposal at its meeting held in November 2010, however, observed that there are various litigations pending in court, which had also issued a series of directions in regards to mining activities in forest areas.

The State government through a letter dated March 27, 2017 informed the committee that the mining lease is free from the court orders. The project proponent too informed FAC about the same.

The mining lease has already been renewed for a period up to November 21, 2027 and is allowed extraction of ore up to 3.3 million tonnes annually. Government has specified that the proposed area does not form part of any wildlife sanctuary or national park.

(Source: https://www.heraldgoa.in/)