The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has scheduled another public hearing on March 20th for grant of Environmental Clearance (EC) for Sirigao-Mayem mineral block II, which is in possession of Salgaocar Shipping Pvt Ltd.
The company intends to obtain EC from the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) for production of 1.0 MTPA of iron ore carried out by opencast method.
The cost of developing the mineral block is expected to be Rs 126.2 crore, of which Rs 20 lakh is the cost of implementing the environment protection plan.
The project is expected to generate employment, direct and indirect to around 132 people; majority of those who will be employed from the local community.
The hearing will be held at 10.30 am at Bicholim Gymkhana, Hirabai Zantye Memorial Hall and will be the fourth public hearing in the state for execution of mineral blocks sold through auction.
As per the EIA study and Environment Management Plan (EMP), the Sirigao Mayem mineral block II has total iron ore reserves of 23.58 million tonne.
The mineral block also has 56 villages in the buffer zone and in the absence of mining activity the locals are engaged in agriculture and tourism- related activities.
The company has said that after the ore is exhausted in the pits the broken up land will be back-filled and will be progressively afforested and rehabilitated with local species like cashew, mango, jamun, cocum, terminalia etc.
