The villagers of Sonshi in Sattari taluka will have a break from the dust pollution till May 5, as the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has decided to keep the iron ore mining activities in this area under suspension.

The Board last week had refused to grant Consent to Operate to 12 of the 13 mining leases operational in Sonshi. It had observed that the mining leases have exceeded the air pollution limit and were directed to submit an action plan to curb the pollution level in the village.

The Board on Tuesday afternoon held a fresh meeting to review the situation. The meeting chaired by its chairman Dharmendra Sharma saw mining firms making presentation on various measures it intends to initiate to curb the air pollution in the village.

The action plan will now be examined by the Board before deciding on granting Consent to operate to the leases.

“The mining activities will remain suspended till May 5. We have decided not to grant consent to operate for mining activities till then. We will review the situation and take decision accordingly,” board’s member secretary Levinson Martins said.

“The Board has also installed a separate ambient air monitoring station, which is also been monitored,” Martins added.

The 12 leases, whose Consent to Operate has not been renewed belongs to Vedanta Ltd, Chowgules, Geetabai Parulekar, RS Shetye, Kunda Gharse,  sociedade timblo irmaos pvt. Ltd, Sociedade Fomento Pvt Ltd, Cosme Costa and Kashinath Talavlekar.

The only lease belonging to V G Quenim, has been allowed to operate- as its consent expires in August.

Team TNV