Ore Extraction Cap can be hiked to 37 Million Tonnes: Mines department

12 June 2017

The directorate of mines and geology (DMG) has written to the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) that it agrees with the Supreme Court-appointed expert appraisal committee’s recommendation of increasing the iron ore extraction limit in the state to 37 million tonnes.

A senior officer from DMG said they had written to the MoEFCC that they are sticking to the expert appraisal committee’s recommendation. The officer said that the increase in iron ore capping will increase the state revenue. “With more revenue, the state government can take up more development work,” the officer said.

Recently, the Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) started monitoring air ambient quality and sought time from MoEFCC to submit comments over increasing the iron ore output cap in the state.

The Union ministry has also sought comments from the various state and central government departments over increasing the extraction capping in the state. At present, the Supreme Court has capped iron ore extraction at 20 million tonne.

Around 10 central and state government departments had been asked for their views on the report prepared by the six-member expert committee appointed by the Supreme Court, which had recommended an extraction limit of 37 million tonne per annum (MTPA) of iron ore in the state.

The panel, in its report, had suggested that the earlier assessed extraction rate of 20 MTPA be enhanced to 30 MTPA.

It had further stated that the limit could be further increased to 37 MTPA “as the upper limit predicted by our sustainability model”, subject to the state’s review of the macro environment impact assessment (EIA) of the enhanced extraction rate.

Recently, the state government had urged the Supreme Court to increase the iron ore extraction cap in the state. The matter has been adjourned till July.

Directorate of mines and geology had urged the mining companies to exhaust the 20 million tonne iron ore extraction capping by March 31.

Source – TOI