Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) has granted environmental clearance to Chowgule & Company Pvt Ltd for handling iron ore dumps situated on private land outside the mining lease area at Pale village in Bicholim.
The approval, issued under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), comes with a series of conditions aimed at controlling pollution and ensuring environmental safeguards. Acting on recommendations from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), the authority has directed the company to set up a minimum of three ambient air quality monitoring stations at the site to track particulate pollutants such as PM10 and PM2.5.
In addition, sensor-based online monitoring systems will be installed along the transportation route in coordination with the GSPCB. The company has also been instructed to display real-time air quality data electronically at key entry and exit points of the project area.
To address dust pollution during transportation, CCTV cameras will be installed from the mine exit gate to the jetty to ensure that trucks carrying ore are properly covered. These surveillance systems will be linked to the GSPCB server for continuous monitoring.
The Directorate of Mines and Geology had earlier granted permission for handling the dumps, following which the State Expert Appraisal Committee recommended the project for environmental clearance.
As per project details, the company proposes to handle around 1.80 million tonnes of iron ore annually over an area measuring 76.54 hectares. The clearance allows operations for a period of five years, during which the company must also complete land restoration and reclamation activities.
The approval is subject to payment of applicable conversion charges under the Land Revenue Code, along with royalties and other statutory compliances.
As part of mitigation measures, the company has been directed to develop a greenbelt within a 7.5-metre buffer zone along the project boundary. This will include plantation of over 90,700 trees to help reduce environmental impact.
