PANAJI | May 12, 2015: The inspection of mining leases by the Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) to grant consent to operate under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) and Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Acts may be delayed as the administrative tribunal has directed the board to conduct a hearing for mining lessees.

In October 2012, GSPCB had returned applications seeking renewal of consent to operate filed by mining companies and other parties without hearing them, in view of the stoppage of mining activities following a Supreme Court (SC) directive. This decision of the board was challenged by some mining companies before the administrative tribunal

The administrative tribunal has set aside the board's decision and directed the board to conduct a hearing. "The respondent (GSPCB) is directed to give a hearing to the appellant afresh and on all the issues and dispose of the matter with a speaking order. The respondent is directed to dispose of the matter within three months," Ulhas Pai Raikar, president of the administrative tribunal, observed.

A GSPCB official said that there are nine more such orders with a similar direction and more applications are filed, which are yet to be decided, and hence the GSPCB's work is likely to delay the inspection of mines.

The board has received documents to be processed from 89 mining leases to issue consent to operate. Out of 89 mining leases renewed by the state government, only 61 mining leases have been allowed to extract iron ore, on a pro rata basis to fit into the 20 million tonnes capping for iron ore extraction, fixed by the Supreme Court.

A board official said that they have to first decided on the order of the administrative tribunal and the complaints received by the board before starting inspections.

The ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC formerly known as MoEF) had revoked the environment clearances (EC) of 72 mines which were kept in abeyance after the Shah Commission report was tabled in Parliament.

While granting the EC, the MoEFCC, has put tough conditions for granting consent to operate under the Air Act and Water Act. One of the conditions is that the board should not grant consent to operate to those mines using village roads for transportation of iron ore.

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