Panji, Oct 16 (TNN): In fresh trouble for the state's mining industry-already reeling under a ban-the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) has found that the environmental impact assessment (EIA), environment clearance (EC) and environmental management plan (EMP) of leases are highly deficient in information about major environmental parameters. The parameters include land use pattern, water resources, biodiversity, demographic profile, dependency of people on agriculture, air quality and impact of air pollution on the health of local people.
"There are obviously serious deficiencies in the EIA, EC, EMP process and it is imperative that we take appropriate steps to remedy these," states the 119-page report released to the media on Tuesday. It suggests that the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) and the state government should ensure that ECs should not be one-time only, but should be reviewed periodically, for instance, every five years. It further maintains that project proponents should not be permitted to make substantial changes to the project without due EIA of the changes proposed.
CEE was assigned, in 2011, a two-year research project by the state government as part of public scrutiny. The central government-recognized organization was tasked with assessing the quality of EIAs submitted, compliance with EC conditions and adequacy of EMPs of 105 mines in operation in Goa. The report was prepared under the guidance of noted environmentalist Madhav Gadgil.
The report has found that of 95 EIAs received for processing, the public hearings of 56 EIAs were held in the district headquarters of Margao and Panaji, 38 public hearings were held at the taluka headquarters of Sanguem, Quepem and Bicholim and only one public hearing actually happened at the project site. "In most of the cases, the public have raised very valid objections, but these find no mention in the final EIAs," the report highlights.
It further notes that there is no proper recognition of the impact of large-scale mining activity on the water regime of the area under mining, which includes a substantial fraction of the water catchment areas of the state. There is "improper documentation of the existence of water sources within leases and adjoining the leased boundary and improper documentation of information relating to demographic profile, and socio-economic status", the CEE report states.
It also holds that there is discrepancy with respect to actual distances between the boundaries of mining leases and protected areas, improper documentation of the flora and fauna of the mining leases and buffer areas and inadequate air, noise and water monitoring.
Finally, it finds that the EIAs neglected "basic issues" such as loss of agricultural productivity due to deposition of dust on leaves, depletion of groundwater and water supply, destruction of springs and other water sources, siltation of agricultural land and orchards, breaking of estuarine khazan land bunds due to increased barge traffic movement in rivers, oil pollution of water and soil, and excess iron and manganese content in water and soil.