SC notice to Goa on plea to ban ore exports

TNN | Jan 22, 2013, 02.17 AM IST

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to the Goa government on an application seeking to ban movement of iron and manganese ore or their export from the state in the wake of its environment panel’s stinging report on the massive illegal mining operating for years.

A bench comprising Justices Aftab Alam, K S Radhakrishnan and Ranjan Gogoi sought a response from the state on an application filed by Goa Foundation, which said despite a SC ban on mining after the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) pointed out massive illegalities, the officials were ready to permit transportation of iron and manganese ore through the state on the ground that these were mined outside Goa.

The NGO through counsel Prashant Bhushan said chief minister Manohar Parrikar on January 14 had said that minerals mined outside the state would be allowed to be routed through Goa for export purposes. He said this could be used as a ruse to export illegally mined mineral in the state.

“It is apparent that the state is going to permit many such transactions and exports of ore allegedly extracted outside the state making a complete mockery of the apex court’s October 5 order,” the NGO said.

It said the CEC has already asked the Goa government to keep in abeyance permission for such transportation of ore through the state and for export.

SOURCE: THE TIMES OF INDIA