JOWAI: Unscientific limestone mining in War-Jaintia, Amlarem Sub-Division in Jaintia Hills has become a cause of concern for residents of Nongtalang village and its surrounding villages who are facing an impending water scarcity in the area.

A huge quantity of limestone is exported to Bangladesh via Tamabil on a daily basis which has encouraged individuals in the area to start limestone mining. The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council has so far issued 21 numbers of NOCs (No Objection Certificates) for extraction of limestone, 25 NOCs to exporters and another 12 to transporters.

NEW DELHI: Goa’s Congress MP Shantaram Naik recently expressed concern over the mining activities in Sindhudurg district of the neighbouring Maharashtra polluting rivers in his state, particularly Tiracol and Colvale that originate in Maharashtra.

Raising the issue through a special mention in the Rajya Sabha, he wanted the Centre to alert the appropriate authorities in Maharashtra to curb this menace by taking action under the Environment Protection Act, Water Pollution Act and the laws dealing with mining.

PANJIM: Goa State Pollution Control Board on Tuesday decided to re-inspect the mining project of Pandurang Timblo Industries in Shigao after its mines manager made a statement on Tuesday before the former informing that the company had stopped mining operations recently.

GSPCB had issued a show-cause notice to the company after villagers had complained mining operation was polluting a nullah which leads to the Dudhsagar waterfalls.

SHILLONG: The preliminary report conducted by the Mining and Geology department has ruled out that uranium exploration is the cause of the mysterious death of thousand of fishes along Ranikor River.

The preliminary report has in fact blamed that the mass death of fish to the toxicity of the river where local people use toxic substances for catching fish for commercial purposes.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Tuesday said “perceived” environmental concerns should not hamper development.

Speaking at a meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Tuesday, Mr. Bahuguna said the hydro projects that were cleared by the Environment and Forests Ministry and got other technical clearances should not be closed down for “mere perceived feeling of some people.”

Goa Governor K. Sankaranarayanan on Tuesday said his government would crack down on the illegal mining as also the mafias involved in such illegal operations in the State, and expressed his government's wish to reduce dependency of the Goan economy on mining.

Delivering the Governor's customary address before the newly-elected State Legislative Assembly on the second day of the Budget session, Mr. Sankaranarayanan admitted that mining had been a dominant industry, providing employment to a number of persons and contributing significantly to the exchequer earnings

SHILLONG: Members of both the Treasury and the Opposition bench on Monday expressed concern over the pollution of the rivers in Jaintia Hills due to unscientific mining.

Pointing to the recent report of the Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MPSCB), UDP legislator (formerly on KHNAM) Paul Lyngdoh said that it is really disturbing to know that the water sources in and around the mining areas in Jaintia Hills is no longer fit for human consumption.

The NLC has become a pioneer in submitting mine closure reports as required under the rules. It is the first to turn out such a report on the closure of Mine-I and Mine-II in Neyveli, said B.Surender Mohan, NLC director (mines).

He was delivering the inaugural address at a colloquium on “Recent development in statutory compliance in mining” held under the aegis of the Mining Engineers Association of India, Tamil Nadu chapter, and the Institution of Engineers (India), Neyveli Local Centre recently.

State Pollution Control Board submits report to Govt

SHILLONG: The mineral-rich Jaintia Hills district faces an acute drinking water crisis as water from its major rivers has been declared ‘unfit’ for human consumption due to high level of acidity caused by unscientific mining. The rivers downstream of coal mining areas and cement plants have turned blue five years back, a phenomenon baffling even environmental scientists of the State.