Panaji (GOA) The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) today decided to grant consent to operate 19 iron ore mining leases while issuing show cause notices to six mines for having an invalid environment clearance (ECs).

The Board had a marathon meeting to decide the fate of 27 mining leases, which had applied for consent to operate under Air and Water Act. The decision with regard to two mining leases has been deferred by the Board.

Sources confirmed that the Board has decided to issue show cause notices to six mining leases for having an invalid environment clearance. The Board observed that the mining leases were granted ECs under the 1994 EIA Notification for a period of two years only.

The operation of these mining leases in Sonshi was suspended in April for causing air pollution in the village.

In case of 19 mining leases, of which seven belong to Sonshi village, which are now considered for grant of consent, the ECs was granted solely under the 2006 EIA notification.

“In case of Sonshi, the consent is to be granted with a recommendation to the Department of Mines for a reduction in the extraction capacity,” sources said.

The seven leases from Sonshi belongs to Vedanta Ltd, Sesa Goa Ltd, Cosme Costa, M/s Sociedade De Fomento Industries Ltd (2 leases), Geetabala Parulekar and Kashinath Talaulikar.

The balance 12 leases include those of M/s Chowgule & Com Pvt Ltd (3 leases- Costi and Pale), M/s Narvekar Minerals (Costi), Panduronga Timblo Industries (2 leases- Borga), Pravin Kumar Gosalia (Betul-Quepem), Lithoferro (Betul-Quepem), M/s Bandekar Bro (Pale), M/s Madachem Bat Mines Pvt Ltd (Pale), a fresh lease for Matta-e-Dando Iron ore mines (Pale) and M/s GN Agarwal (Cavrem).