All mines in Goa told to display key info at site

Within a week, every mining firm in Goa will have to put up a board at the entry and exit points of the spot where it is conducting operations, displaying details of the mine and permissions obtained. If it fails to do so, it would invite suspension orders.

Within a week, every mining firm in Goa will have to put up a board at the entry and exit points of the spot where it is conducting operations, displaying details of the mine and permissions obtained. If it fails to do so, it would invite suspension orders.

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The Goa government told the Goa bench of the Bombay high court on Tuesday that the Directorate of Mines and Geology has, on October 4, issued a circular to mining companies in this regard.

The mines department would issue stop-work notices if the companies fail to comply with the order, advocate general Subodh Kantak told the division bench of Justice AP Lavande and Justice RP Sondurbaldota in response to a public interest litigation filed by the NGO Goa Foundation.

Apart from carrying the name and addresses of the firm and the mine - to be printed in Roman capital letters, not less than 4 cm in size - the display boards will have to have information on the lease number, the lease area and the type of mineral that is being extracted.

Details of the environment clearance (EC) obtained from the Union environment ministry, such as the EC number, date of issue, validity period and quantity of ore allowed to be extracted every year will also have to be mentioned, along with the date of approval of the mining plan, the date of commencement of work and duration of lease.

"Companies will have to file a compliance report with the mines department," said Claude Alvares, director of Goa Founda-tion. "This is expected to bring in some transparency in the functioning of mining companies."