KOCHI: The Kerala High court on Friday issued notices to Central and State government’s on a petition against the pollution caused by Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited (KMML) in Kollam district.

The Centre-appointed Shah Commission is appeared quite unhappy with the state of affairs in the mineral-rich Keonjhar district.
The eight-member commission, which visited various mines in the district over the last three days, on Sunday said at majority of the places mines owners and operators have polluted the air and water affecting the life and livelihood of the local people. Besides, they also overlooked to their responsibilities towards the local communities and improvement roads and other infrastructure.

Taking strong objection to Advocate General Subodh Kantak’s opinion that the handling of dumps may not require environmental clearance, Central Mines Ministry has asked Goa government that there is urgent need to regulate movement of dumps.

The ministry says that as per records, in the last four years, approximately 10.89 million tones of waste or sub-grade iron ore mined in earlier years and apparently lying in dumps has also been removed and dispatched.

Chalakudy River is yearning for a lifeline. Chalakudy River, the fifth largest river in the State, is faced with a series of risks including sand-mining, release of untreated effluents from an industrial unit and improper disposal of solid waste.

The environmental monitoring programme on water quality of the Chalakudy River Basin carried out by the Kerala State Council for Science Technology and Environment has brought out the challenges faced by the river.

JOWAI: The famous Lukha river in Jaintia Hills has turned blue again on Friday and thousands of dead fishes were found floating on the water surface all along the river right from Sakhri till Borsora village, a distance of about 25 km.

The changing of colour and death of fishes in the Lukha River has become an annual phenomenon. The Lukha River changed its colour for the first time in January 2007, since then the discolouration of the river occurred annually during the month of November, and February.

AHMEDABAD: The data of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) show that Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh contribute to around 80 per cent of hazardous waste including heavy metals in the country.

The health of hundreds of thousands of mine workers in India is in danger as several states have ignored the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directives on prevention of silicosis, an incurable lung ailment.

"Despite all states being reminded and sent guidelines regarding this malady (silicosis), the overall picture is dismal as state governments are in denial mode," NHRC member P.C. Sharma told the media.

Profit-sharing with tribal people and auctioning of mineral concessions are not the only landmark changes proposed in the new mining Bill. The Bill also envisages ushering in a regime of royalty concessions for the first time in the country.