Damodar Mangalji to face inspection for illegal mining
PTI, PANAJI | 16 June 2012 21:21 IST
Goa Mines and Geology Department has decided to inspect an iron ore mine in the state's Sattari taluka on Monday, which was suspected of funneling illegally extracted ore, a top official said.
The Mines Department suspects that the mine owned by one Damodar Mangalji and Company Pvt Ltd has been funneling illegally extracted ore through its mining lease at Doncol in Pissurlem village, Director of Mines and Geology Department Prasanna Acharya said.
"We are inspecting the mining site on Monday. Only after that I will be able to comment," Acharya told PTI.
"Indian Bureau of Mines had inspected the mining site and observed that the entire lease area is barren and in a virgin stage," the noting of state mines and geology department reads.
The mine was issued a show-cause notice by the Indian Bureau Of Mines (IBM) in February this year for allegedly extracting ore beyond its permissible capacity.
The company, which is one of the oldest mine owners in the state, has been accused of violating provisions of Mineral Conservation and Development Rule, 1988.
IBM had noticed that 66,050 metric tonnes of ore was produced in the year 2005-06 as against the approved 33,500 metric tonnes.
IBM senior mining geologist Sunil Jha, in his notice, had also observed that the area, where mining is claimed to have been happening, does not have a mining pit, excavation or dump (ore stacked) to correlate the handling of the ore.
Senior Mines Department official said that the investigations would now be conducted in the source of ore.
"If there is no extraction at the mining site, then question remains as to from where the ore was procured. If it was procured from the non-licenced lease, it means the mining site was used to funnel the illegally extracted ore," he said.
Goa exported 43 million metric tonnes of iron ore through its two ports - Mormugao Port Trust and Panaji Minor port.
The state is the largest exporter of the iron ore but many of its mining sites have been accused of extracting iron ore illegally.
