Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has granted environmental clearance to Fomento Resources Pvt Ltd for its Kalay Mineral Block-IV in Sanguem taluka, paving the way for renewed iron ore extraction in the State.
The approval permits Fomento to mine up to 0.75 million tonnes of iron ore annually and handle around 3 million tonnes of waste within a lease area measuring 152.5 hectares. The project, recommended earlier by the Goa State Expert Appraisal Committee, will however need further approvals, including forest and wildlife clearances and consent to operate from the Goa State Pollution Control Board, before mining operations can actually begin.
Although the lease area is situated just over one kilometre from the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park, officials clarified that it lies outside the designated Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ). Originally, the lease spanned over 179 hectares, but nearly 27 hectares falling within the ESZ were excluded, bringing the lease area to its current size.
Fomento has also secured a Stage-I forest clearance for about 21 hectares of forest land, with final approval pending. The Indian Bureau of Mines had earlier cleared the mine plan in August 2024, while a statutory public hearing was held in January this year.
As directed by the High Court, the company has drawn up a transportation plan to move the ore to Sanvordem or Capxem jetties, about 12–14 kilometres away. The plan combines an internal 2.5 km haul road with around 11.5 km of public road, offering two route options—via Ambeudoc and Sanvordem Junction, or through Bandoli and Sanvordem Junction.
With this clearance, Fomento edges closer to restarting large-scale mining in Sanguem, even as the project continues to face close scrutiny from environmental and regulatory authorities.
