Panaji: Mining companies in the disaster prone Sattari and Bicholim talukas have assured the state government to have taken adequate precautions to avoid monsoon related mishaps.
Majority of the companies, operating a total of 39 mining leases, have written to the district administration informing about the measures taken to prevent mishaps.
During the last monsoon, a couple of ponds located in the mining leases of this taluka had burst, inundating the villages downstream.
District administration, along with the various agencies concerned with mines safety and regulations, had formed the mining monitoring committee, which had asked the firms to put in place measures to curb accidents during heavy downpour.
Sub Divisional Magistrate (Bicholim) Nilesh Nagarcekar, who heads the sub-committee formed to oversee the measures, said the government has received various presentations along with the pictorial evidence by the companies, who have assured that accidents would not repeat this monsoon.
The sub-committee has decided to visit the mining sites next week to verify whether claims made by the companies are true.
"We will personally inspect all the sites," he said.
Sattari taluka has 27 and Bicholim has 12 mining leases, which have been operational for over four decades.
Sesa Goa Limited, India`s largest producer and exporter of iron ore in the private sector, has claimed to have used `geotextile and Silpauline on the dumps` to avoid its erosion during the monsoons.
PTI
