The Environment Ministry is now under the scanner of a parliamentary committee that has reportedly directed it to “properly monitor green clearances given to coal mining firms, particularly in states like Goa”. This comes after a month since the ministry suspended the green clearance given to 93 mines in Goa and at a time when Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan is pitted against Finance Minister P Chidambaram over setting up a National Investment Board to fast track major infrastructure projects in the country. This 30-member committee, headed by the Congress MP Francisco Sardinha from Goa, is expected to submit the report in the forthcoming winter session of Parliament. The contents of the report have been kept confidential. The environment ministry has been repeatedly blamed for holding up clearances for various infrastructural projects and coal mines. Sources pointed out that the various conditions related to granting of approvals to projects were also reviewed by the panel members during their meeting with environment ministry officials. Some other issues that surfaced prominently during the meeting were those related to environmental impact of mining, mine reclamation, soil degradation, water contamination and the status of industries implementing green conditions, sources informed. They also raised the issue of the adverse impact of mining on the health of people living in the area. The issue of reclamation of mines was particularly discussed. This involved the restoration of the land that has been mined to its natural or economically usable state. The members pointed out that the issue was almost set aside by the Environment ministry as it “seldom enquired from the mining ministry on the status of reclamation even though it is an integral part of the mining process.” But after the mines are rendered unproductive, most of them are abandoned without any thought about reclamation.” the sources said.