India: HC's extension of transport SOPs to continue to impact iron ore movement in Goa

The High Court of Bombay at Goa has asked for carrying capacity studies of mining routes and, if possible, real-time air quality monitors before transport of iron ore is allowed in the state.

The 29 June 2024 order also extends SOPs and guidelines applied to e-auctioned ore that could curtail transport from auctioned mines, such as Vedanta's Bicholim Block 1, to a maximum of 40 trucks per hour, say experts. The order was in response to concerns by Goa Foundation over how ore is to be transported particularly now that mining has resumed in the state.

Background

While Anil Agarwal's Vedanta received the Ministry of Environment and Forest's clearance for a 3 mnt/year operation at Bicholim in January this year, it has been unable to get a transport permit from the state's Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG).

The DMG was bound by a 17 January 2024 interim order of the HC concerning the transport of e-auction ore through one of Goa's villages, Mayem. Unimpressed with the lack of clarity on how the DMG and Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) granted permissions, and expanding its scope to all of Goa, the HC had in the interim barred private parties from being granted permission for transportation of ore through villages without its leave.

Pursuant to the 17th January order, the state government issued further SOPs and guidelines and also committed to not allowing any transport through Mayem. Vedanta had asked the court that the DMG be directed to grant it transport permits, arguing it had a valid Environment Clearance with conditions and safeguards imposed after a public hearing and the Expert Appraisal Committee's own study of its proposal.

The court's order stressed that this was not a challenge to the EC granted to the project. It, however, found merit in GSPCB and DMG's SOPs and guidelines for e-auctioned ore to continue to be observed and monitored in the interest of villagers. It also wants carrying capacity studies for each route, monitoring of trucks on a real-time basis and installation of CCTV cameras connected to DVR devices at Panchayat ghars or public schools, or GSPCB and DMG offices.

The order also advises the state's agencies to install, as recommended by the Goa Foundation, air quality monitors which would upload information on a real-time basis.