Mining operation will be completely banned in the ecologically-sensitive Western Ghats in the State, Chief Minister Yeddyurappa said on Wednesday.

Damaged and caved in, victims of mine collapse still call it home The ground is slipping from under the houses of nearly 200,000 people. Houses are sinking into cavities, some 15 metres deep, left behind by the abandoned mines of Western Coalfield Limited (wcl). The mines are located under a six-kilometre stretch in Maharashtra

US officials have moved closer to finalizing rules on the disposal of mining waste, a plan environmentalists said gives mountaintop mining companies more freedom to dump debris near rivers and streams.

DH News Service, Chikkanayakanhalli:

Mining equipment worth crores were set on fire by miscreants when the police tried to restart the mining activities in Abbige and Soppu hills region in accordance to the orders from the district administration on Thursday.

Residents of Maina, Cavrem, Pirla and adjoining villages of Quepem taluka on Saturday vehemently opposed the public hearing of two proposed mines and managed to get the public hearing of one proposed mine cancelled on technical grounds. The Goa Pollution Control Board (GPCB) had fixed three public hearings at the Chandreshwar temple hall at Cotta-Amona in Quepem taluka, to invite public opinion on the proposed renewal of mining leases at Maina and Pirla villages. The meetings were presided over by Additional Collector-II Y B Tavde and Assistant Env. Engineer (GSPCB) Sanjeev Joglekar.

Residents from Maina, Pirla, Cavrem, Colomba and adjoining areas are gearing to oppose Goa Pollution Control Board's public hearing for renewal of mining leases. According to sources, Goa Pollution Control board has fixed three pubic hearings of three mines at Chandreshwar Temple, Cotto, Amona-Quepem on June 21. Villagers alleged that the mine owner who had applied for renewal of mining lease has already started mining operations, causing extensive damage to the environment. "The mine owner was booked and fined by the forest department for illegal cutting of trees,' said a local.

Residents of Shivsorem and Colomba in Rivona panchayat on Wednesday strongly opposed the renewal of a mining lease in the village. At a public hearing, organized by the Goa Pollution Control Board (GPCB) at Rivona VKSS Society, Rivona, residents feared that the mining activities would destroy the ecology in the village. Criticizing the environment assessment report submitted by the mining company, Gurudas Gaonkar of Shivsorem claimed that though Shivsorem ward has a population of 400 villagers located barely 25 metres from the mining pit, the ward was not shown in the report.

Residents from Shivsorem and Colomba in Rivona are gearing up to oppose an iron ore mining lease, with a public hearing slated for June 18 from 11 am at Rivona V K S S Society, Rivona. Residents have alleged that the mine owner started operating from the mine since September 2007 without obtaining any permission from mining department or Ministry of Environment and Forest. However, Mines department in May stopped the operations.