Gavane in operation without wildlife clearance for 4 years

Story/Place-
Rajendra P Kerkar, May 31, 2011, 05.38am IST
KERI: For four years a mining lease under TC No. 31/55 in Gavane, Ambeli and Shelpi-khurd villages of Sattari was operating without obtaining clearances under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, from the competent authority.
On April 15, 2011, mines and geology director Arvind Lolienkar directed Chowgule and company to stop all mining operations with immediate effect at the mine.
Earlier, on April 11, assistant geologist Deepak Mayenkar and other officials from the department conducted an inspection of the mine and it was found that though the environment clearance was obtained from the ministry of environment and forests on May 17, 2007, no clearance under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 was obtained.

It was also observed that the consent under the Water and Air Acts had expired and not been renewed till the time of inspection.
When contacted, Chowgule and company deputy manager SY Wakhale said, "Presently, we have stopped all mining activity at Gavane. We have already done required formalities for availing wildlife clearance and the consents under Water and Air Acts from the Goa state pollution control board to resume the mine."
Forests deputy conservator monitoring and evaluation Cedric D'Souza said, "We have received the letter from the mining company for obtaining the clearance under the Wildlife Protection Act. It is now under process."
Rajesh Gaonkar and other Gavane villagers had submitted a memorandum to Bicholim deputy collector that mining activities were being carried out without taking the necessary permissions.
On January 27, 2010, Khotode panchayat talathi Anand Narulkar brought to the notice of the Sattari mamlatdar that illegal conversion was done by Chowgule mining company on the government revenue land under survey No. 22 and 23 of Gavane.
Valpoi activist Vishwas Prabhu, working to curb illegal mining in Sattari said, "Allowing mining very close to Mhadei wildlife sanctuary will create a lot of environmental and wildlife problems. At the cost of ecology no such mining activity should be allowed."

Source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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