PANAJI
The Governing Council of the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) has decided to direct the erstwhile mining leaseholders, who were having their leases in Pissurlem village, to restore the agriculture fields as per Polluters Pay Principle.
During its latest meeting, the Governing Council noted that silt has accumulated in the fields due to iron ore mining activities. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the former mining lessees to restore the fields in accordance with the Polluter Pays Principle.
The erstwhile lessee includes M/s R S Shetye & Brothers, Carminho Costa, Cosme Costa and Sons and M/s Sesa Resources Limited.
The Council has also asked the Director of Mines and Geology to ensure Rs 18 lakhs are spent by the former leaseholders and the project is executed through the Agriculture department.
In April of this year, the Bombay High Court in Goa directed the Director of Mines and Geology to complete the work of desilting 5,000 square meters of fields in Pissurlem village “as expeditiously as possible”.
In March, the Mines department issued notices and directions to these four mining companies, asking them to contribute Rs 18,22,700 for the desiltation of approximately 5,000 square meters of the area in Survey No. 45/12 of Pissurlem village.
The directions were issued following a report by the Directorate of Agriculture that an area of approximately 5,000 square metres in Survey No. 45/12 and a natural lake situated nearby need to be desilted so that agricultural operations can commence.
