MOEF challenges CEC authority to decide buffer zone
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 02 November 2012 22:44 IST
The issue of buffer zone for mining has suddenly taken a dramatic turn with union ministry of environment and forest challenging the authority of Supreme Court-appointed Central Empowered Committee to decide the buffer zone limits.
The matter would be now argued upon in the apex court on 30 November.
The MOEF told the Supreme Court today that the CEC has no authority to decide the limit of buffer zone.
The stand MOEF took in the apex court was that buffer zone decision should be ‘site specific’ and not general criteria.
The ministry also suggested that recommendation in this regard should be invited from the particular states.
The general criteria set for the buffer zone is 10 kms.
Goa government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court demanding buffer zone of only one km.
With hardly 50 kms of width of the state from the Arabian Sea to the Sahyadri range, even the environmentalist groups are suggesting at the most five kms of buffer zone.
Adv Harish Salve argued before the apex court today that the MOEF has leveled an allegation by challenging the CEC authority.
He demanded that the matter be argued thoroughly.
The hearing has thus now been fixed on 30 November.
