MARGAO: The Land Acquisition Officer, Margao played truant as farmers and local citizens from Velim turned up for hearing on the land acquisition for the Cutbona fisheries project on Wednesday.

When the farmers made their presence felt at the office of the LA officer in the district Collectorate, they found to their shock the Land Acquisition Officer, Shagun Velip absent. As a result, officials attached to the Land Acquisition office adjourned the matter by fixing the hearing on September 13.

PANJIM: In a major development, the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has directed two mines operating within 10 kms of the Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary in Sanguem taluka to shut down operations with immediate effect for failing to get clearance from the National Wildlife Board.

The orders have been issued on August 13 to two mining leases operated by – Gangadhar Narsinghdas Agrawal and Pandurang Timblo Industries, under section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) in a stringent order has issued a show cause notice to the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) warning it to shut down their coal handling operations for failing to adhere to the board’s directives.

GSPCB Member Secretary Levinson Martins has, in an order issued on Wednesday, asked MPT to show cause why the order of consent to operate as issued to it by the GSPCB under the Air Act and the Water Act should not be revoked and as to why legal action as stipulated under the act should not be initiated against the management of the port for carrying out coal handling by violating directives.

MARGAO: Sample testing of well waters in the vicinity of the Sonsodo waste dumping site by the Goa State Pollution Control Board has revealed high levels of coliform.

Well water sample of Vishal Gude, a resident of Amrutnagar-Sonsodo put the total coliform to 490 as against the permissible limit of 10. Similarly, the feacal coliform was around 170 when it ought to have been nil.

PANJIM: Directorate of Mines and Geology on Tuesday conducted inspection of a Sesa Goa mining site at Sanquelim after environmentalist Ramesh Gawas complained to them about handling of dumps at this mine.

Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya said the inspection revealed that the dumps have not been moved out of the mining lease but instead were shifted within the lease area, which is allowed and that there is no illegality found during the inspection.

VASCO: In a significant decision, the Mormugao Planning and Development Authority (MPDA) has directed Ganesh Benzoplast Ltd at Sada Bogda to demolish the tanks and to remove hazardous storage of sulphuric acid and furnace oil from its premises within seven days.

In a notice dated August 27, the MPDA directed the company to comply with the directives, failing which the MPDA will demolish the structures and recover the cost from the company.

Mumbai Sesa Goa, owned by miner Vedanta Resources, must shut its 280,000 tonnes per year metallurgical coke unit in Goa after complaints about pollution, a State Pollution Board official said. Shares of Sesa Goa extended losses by 3.73% at R180.45 per share on the news.

“We have issued directions for closure of the coke unit of Sesa Goa,” Levinsons Martins, member secretary of the Goa State Control Pollution Board (GSPCB), said. The plant would remain shut at least until then.

After massive protests by the locals, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has asked Sesa Goa Ltd to stop all activities at its coke oven unit at Navelim in Bicholim taluka, 40 km from her

MARGAO: Newly-elected Velim Sarpanch Melvyn Sanches on Monday said he along with the Panchayat body are fully supporting the demand of the villagers for scrapping of the land acquisition process for the expansion of the Cutbona fishing jetty.

Melvyn was elected unopposed as Velim sarpanch on Monday after his candidature was proposed by Cruz Fernandes and seconded by Assis Pinto.

Thousands of villagers from Navelim in Bicholim taluka of Goa on Monday observed a day-long bandh against Sesa Goa's metallurgical coke plant in the village, claiming that it is polluting their surroundings.

Police officials said the bandh which started at 7 am has remained peaceful till now. Locals were seen sloganeering on the road and blocked the entire stretch which connects Panaji to Bicholim taluka.