Monday, February 22, 2010

India Imposes Moratorium On Goa Mining

India’s minister for the environment and forests, Jairam Ramesh, has told the Goa chief minister Digambar Kamat that the ministry has “imposed a moratorium on consideration of mining proposals for environmental clearance… till the mineral policy for the state of Goa is finalised.”

Ramesh has also called for a comprehensive environmental impact assessment of current mining activities and for those which permissions have been given over the last few years. The Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute is to carry out the study.

There are about 100 operational iro -ore and manganese ore mines in Goa’s hinterland which export nearly 33 million tons of ore annually.

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