Amended noise action plan of Goa
Goa government has notified the ‘Amended Noise Action Plan’ to purportedly streamline the processes related to curbing noise pollution in the state, as specified before the High Court on April 30. The
Goa
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Centre to target mine owners promoting illegal mining
Ministry in process of amending rules. Guilty party to lose licence, debarred from obtaining any further licence PANJIM: As a major fallout of Shah Commission’s interim report, Union Mines ministry is working on amending the Mineral Concession Rules which will make mine owner lose his licence and would be debarred from obtaining any further licence, if he is found guilty of involving in illegal mining activity. Justice M B Shah Commission, during its first interim report had suggested this stringent measure to curb the illegal mining, which was accepted by the union mines ministry.
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Clean-Up That Can Pay Off
Rocked by increasing criticism from all quarters, Goa under its new chief minister Manohar Parrikar is on a drive to set things straight. One of the steps proposed includes auctioning of low-quality iron
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Farmers to seek Goa CM's intervention
Kalasa-Banduri nala project envisages diversion of water from canal to Malaprabha The Kalasa-Banduri Horata Samiti, which is fighting for implementation of the Kalasa-Banduri nala project that envisages diversion of water from the Kalasa and Banduri Nala to Malaprabha river, has decided to meet Goa chief minister Manohar Parikkar and appeal to him to cooperate in completing the project before 2013-end.
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Gutkha, pan masala ban comes into effect in Maharashtra
The ban on gutkha and pan masala across Maharashtra came into effect from on Friday with the state government issuing a notification in this regard. The notification, which bans the sale and consumption of gutkha and paan masala, will be valid for a year. It will be later extended for another 12 months. The state cabinet had decided on the ban last week. Figures show that gutkha was one of the major reasons for oral diseases. The monthly sale of gutkha in Maharashtra is estimated to be around Rs 300 crore and the government annually earns more than Rs 100 crore in taxes on it.
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Big land losers to get 30 year care under new acquisition policy
PANJIM: The Goa government is working to bring out at the earliest a Land Acquisition Policy that will protect the interests of those losing lands for various projects both for government and non-government. “This policy will protect the interests of those losing substantial land,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar explained. In this policy land losers will be taken care of for the next 30 years,” he said while replying to the House during question hour today.
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Plastic waste to be eradicated in phased manner, Alina tells House
PANJIM: Environment Minister Alina Saldanha on Friday told state legislative assembly that state will initiate phase wise eradication of plastic over next three years. The Minister said that the intentions of the government are ‘to phase out the domestic plastic waste in a phased manner over next three years’. She also said that necessary awareness amongst the people would be created educating them to reduce the use of plastic, in their day-to-day life.
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Govt extends Justice Shah Commission term by 1 yr
Collection, compilation of information on mining still on from 7 crucial mineral producing states The government has extended the tenure of Justice M B Shah Commission, which was set up to probe into the cases of illegal mining, by one year till July 16, 2013. "The extension has been sought since the Commission is collecting and compiling information on mining from seven important mineral producing states, which is quite voluminous, extension has been sought for one year," an official statement said today.
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Collector to hear four mining firms’ applications on Saturday
The fate of the four mining companies which have applied for ore transportation will be decided on Saturday. District Collector N D Agrawal has fixed a hearing on the sensitive question of ore transportation on Saturday, which would finally seal the fate of the parties to the issue. Agrawal told Herald on Wednesday that while his office is in receipt of applications from four mining companies to resume ore transportation in the talukas of Quepem, Sanguem and Dharbandora, applications have also come in from NGOs expressing their reservations on mining transportation.
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Reginaldo demands white paper on illegal mining
PANJIM: Curtorim legislator Reginaldo Lourenco demanded a white paper on the issue of illegal mining in the state and from the functioning of the mining department. Speaking during his discussion on the budget, Reginaldo chided the chief minister for saying that there was no illegal mining in the state. “Illegal mining was one of the main election issues. I can show you the copy of the BJP election manifesto, in which it is said that illegal mining will be one of the issues. But today the chief minister has said there is no illegal mining,”
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Wagh condemns UK House moving motion on State’s environmental destruction
PANJIM: San Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh has raised the issue of an early day motion moved by a British MP asking the UK government to impress upon the Goa and Indian governments to rein in environmental destruction by the industry terming it as encroaching upon the sovereignty of India. Referring to a report which appeared in the Times of India, Wagh said that the tabling of a motion in the UK house was unacceptable. “This is a serious issue. We are living in a sovereign country. Let the British remember that they are no longer ruling us. You do not interfere in our issues. Let us maintain our sovereignty and let us maintain our right,” Wagh said.