Press note on Vedanta Bicholim mime

Appeal No. 30 of 2024 has been filed against Vedanta Ltd Challenging Environmental Clearance to Bicholim Mines, Goa

These are the following grounds

Mining Lease wrt Survey No. 25 canot be enforceable. As Survey No. 25 is Lamgao Lake, a wet land. This can not be used as a settling pond. Mining in water body is strictly prohibited.(Rejoinder Para-6)

Vedanta suppressed its previous illegal mining in its present Bicholim Mining Lease Area. In response to the Para 4 ‘Miscellaneous’ 4.6 of the TOR, state of Goa gave in its clarificatory Letter gave false information regarding illegal mining. 

Lamgao Lake is completely destroyed due to illegal mining by PP. No action Plan in EIA to protect the Lake.

Vedanta Ltd was selected as the preferred bidder in the said auction for Block I Bicholim mineral block and accordingly LOI was issued to Vedanta Ltd. As per the MoEF&CC EAC minutes of meeting, in case of LOI grant it is classified as green field and hence in the EIA it has been mentioned as green field. There is no hiding of facts as alleged by the speaker/ goa foundation, as the earlier pits can be seen in the surface plan which is provided as plate no 5 of EIA. (1313)

No Cumulative impact assessment was done properly. Page-19

Suppression of presence of 13 lakes inside mining lease Area. PAGE -18,Para-2

The PP encroached upon the Communidade land without permission to transport the vehicles loaded with Iron Ore. Page-17, Para 12

No dedicated company's own road to connect 900 metre Public Road for Transportation of ore Page-15

Baseline data forged one, manipulated during corona Period page 21, para 4

Public Hearing not done properly. Google Map wrt the distance of venue not as close proximity of the PP Area. (Page-11) page-36

Bicholim river is completely silted due to illegal mining. No action Plan in EIA to protect it.(Page-17)

Adv. B. Ranjan Paramguru

Ramesh Gauns

Parasailing distrupts fishing in Zuari river

 

Reports have come in that parasailing tourism boats operating from Vaiginim Beach within Talegao Panchayat Jurisdiction is increasingly creating obstructions for small scale fishing communities.

Promoted from Cidade de Goa hotel currently operated by Tatas for touristic adventure scares away fish from Zuari river with the sound of high capacity motors upto 25 HP attached.

All Goa Small Scale Responsible Fisheries Union has already petitioned to the Tourism Department, Captain of Ports and the Fisheries Department expressing the opposition to the parasailing boats that sometimes intrude as interior as Siridao beach.

Tourism is Goa is has turned into menace in Goa and it is becoming menace in Goa's maritime waters too. This trend must be halted now.