the goan I network
PANAJI
The department has, however, cautioned mining leaseholders against recklessness in a bid to achieve targets and warned that extraction quotas can be reduced in the event trucks of the mining company cause accidents or there are environmental excesses.
The directions were issued to the leaseholders at a meeting held at the Directorate of Mines and Geology earlier
this week.
The Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya informed the leaseholders that the Supreme Court “is considering enhancement of production limit in the State of Goa which is also recommended by the Expert Committee appointed by the Court.”
In view of that, the department is attempting to equitably distribute the production in eight months of the financial year as mining activities are not carried out during the monsoon season from June to September.” “In view of the above... the department has set a target of eight million tonnes of production before commencement of the monsoon season and asked the lease holders representatives to give details of the quantity which they are able to produce so that the targeted production can be achieved before the end of the season (May 2017). The lease holders have expressed their ability and willingness to produce the targeted quantity during the two months,” Acharya said in
a statement.
The department has said that the targets need to be achieved “in the interest of royalty collection so also in the interest of the citizens residing in the mining-affected areas.”
The department has also stressed a need for ‘zero tolerance’ to accidents and accidental deaths due to
mining transportation.
“All the representatives present were categorically told that in the present financial year not even a single death relating to mining transportation shall be tolerated and punitive action shall be taken if any accidental death takes place during transportation of mineral,” he said. Among the penal action envisaged includes reduction in quota allotted to any leaseholder up to one-lakh tonne if any accidental death occurs during transportation of ore, including during return trips by
empty trucks.
“In the case of such eventuality, the lease holder shall deposit a sum of Rs 10 lakh with the directorate within two working days from such accidental death or Rs 5 lakh in case of serious injuries and a sum of up to Rs 1 lakh in case of simple hurt due to accident cause during such transportation which is to be paid to the victim or the victim’s family as an ex-gratia relief irrespective of of the fault of either party. Besides this there shall be incentives and disincentives for reporting irregularities and illegalities of other lease holders -- if a leaseholder reports the illegalities of another leaseholder, the person reporting shall be rewarded, whereas the leaseholder against whom such reporting is done and found to be correct then such lease holder shall lose such quantity allotted to it as decided by the director,” Acharya said in his statement.
