Less than a week after Vedanta University’s environmental clearance was put on hold, the Centre has suspended the environmental clearance issued to another Vedanta group company for an iron ore mine in North Goa.
The Pirna iron ore mine project, to be established by Sesa Goa at Pirna and Nadora villages, received clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forests on June 9, 2009.
However, following a May 10, 2010 order of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA), the Ministry on Monday issued a letter to the company suspending its clearance with immediate effect.
Sesa Goa is promoted by the Vedanta group, which holds a controlling 57 per cent stake in the mining company.
The NEAA ruling came after a local group, the Pirna Naroda Nagrik Kruti Samiti, challenged the original clearance, saying that 100 per cent of those present at the public hearing for the project had opposed the mine. However, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) overlooked the opposition and granted the clearance.
Sub-committee visit
The NEAA directed that the clearance be suspended until an EAC sub-committee visited the area and examined the reasons for local opposition to the mines and the impact on agriculture, health and environmental conditions.
Incidentally, the government has now put a moratorium on new mining projects in Goa.