IANS

Panaji, Sep 1: Ninety-one out of the 103 operators of leased mines in Goa are under the government scanner for possible violation of environmental norms, a senior official said Tuesday.

Of these, 78 operators had been issued notices to submit official documentation and details of clearances submitted to the environment and forest ministry, said Goa State Pollution Control Board chairman Simon de Souza.

"This is apart from the 13 stop-work orders we issued to operators who are mining without clearances from the forest department and the chief wildlife warden," de Souza told reporters here.

The 78 mining lease operators have been asked to submit relevant documents within 15 days or face closure.

"It is observed that you are required to obtain approval from the chief wildlife warden and clearances under the Forest Conservation Act. You are required to submit a copy of the approvals issued by the chief wildlife warden and the clearance within 15 days of the receipt of letter," said a pollution control notice, dated Aug 14, to them.

"Till Aug 31, no mining company has submitted any documentation. If they do not produce documents, we will issue showcause notice and then suspend operations," de Souza said.

Goa's 103 leased mines produce 33 million tonnes of iron ore, bauxite and manganese ore, which are exported largely to China and Japan.

Environmentalists and opposition parties have alleged that nearly 18 percent of the ore exported is mined illegally.