Seeks closure of a sand mining unit belonging to V.V. Minerals, country’s largest exporter of garnet

A public interest litigation petition has been filed in the Madras High Court Bench here seeking a direction to Tirunelveli Collector to close down a sand mining unit of V.V. Minerals, one of the country’s largest exporters of garnet and ilmenite, at Ponnarkulam village in Irukanthurai panchayat and to regulate other such mines situated within 30 kilometres from Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project.

A PIL was filed in the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking a court direction to stop illegal mining of iron and manganese ores in Goa.

New Delhi A petition was filed on Wednesday in the Supreme Court to restrain the resumption of iron and manganese ore mining in Goa amid a judicial commission estimating a loss of R35,000 crore to the exchequer due to illegal mining in the state since 2000.

It also sought to restrain trade and transportation of ore already mined and existing in the leasehold area, in transit or stored or stocked on the jetties in the state. A PIL petition filed by an NGO, Goa Foundation, also sought setting up of a special probe agency to investigate the alleged loss to the state revenue, the illegalities committed in mining activities and the connivance of public servants in abetting the same.

Gandhinagar: A high-level official report, prepared by the Gujarat Ecology Commission, has taken strong exception to unprecedented mining activities bordering the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.

JOWAI: Unauthorised checking of labour licenses by certain NGOs in Jaintia hills have badly affected coal mine owners, who have claimed that such checking has led to shortage of manpower in their respective mines.

Coal traders allege that checking of labour license and other documents of inter-state migrant labourers has not only affected the coal trade but has also become a harassment for both coal traders and migrant labourers.

PANJIM: With few days left for the new mining season to commence, Goa government, which had earlier assured to allow mining firms to resume operations by November, has now expressed helplessness as Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has kept Environment Clearances in abeyance.

Talking to reporters, Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya said that State government cannot predict as to when the new mining season would start in Goa, as the Union ministry has continued suspension of the Environment Clearances (ECs) of all mines.

PANJIM: In yet another major blow to mining firms hoping to start the mining season by November end, Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has decided not to renew Air and Water consent of 107 mining leases, at least temporarily.

GSPCB at its 104th meeting, held on Tuesday, has made permissions under Forest Conservation Act (FCA) and Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) mandatory for those mines, operational in the forest areas, including wildlife sanctuaries. Hence, it is now amply clear that mining operations would be delayed further, though industry was expecting to start it by November, after State government suspended mining operations.

At least five private companies under scanner

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a preliminary enquiry to probe alleged irregularities in issuance of licences to at least five private companies for exploration of mineral wealth in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea during 2010-11. The prime allegation is that licences for 28 of the 62 offshore mines were granted to companies owned by the son and brother of an Indian Revenue Officer in conspiracy with unknown officials of the Indian Bureau of Mines and the Union Ministry of Mines.

Bhubaneswar: Identifying Odisha as a strategic destination for investment in mining sector, South Africa today said its trade delegation would soon visit the state to explore business opportunities

New Delhi After filing a series of cases in the coal block allocation scam, the CBI has now been tasked with unearthing alleged irregularities in the allocation of offshore mining licenses to private firms.

The CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry into allocation of 62 off-shore mineral blocks in the sea bed of of Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, the first-ever attempt to explore untapped mineral wealth worth thousands of crore.