<p>Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of News Item titled "sand mafia is taking complete control of illegal river sand mining" appearing in O Heraldo dated 13.02.2024.</p> <p>The
Inspite of surplus water and one of the world's richest traditions of managing it, India's water crisis has reached critical levels, an author of a new book on the subject has warned. Goa is one of the places former business and environmental journalist Nitya Jacob has studied in what he called an "ecological travelogue' across the Indian subcontinent, focused on water.
91.9 FM Radio Indigo, the country's first and only international hit music station, went green for Earth Day 2008 by teaming up with Mr Farmer, Guirim, to add new varieties of trees to people's gardens. They recently visited different houses across Goa
The appearance of ugly, polluting tar balls on the pristine beaches of Pernem recently point to the fact that ships continue to discharge oil into Goa's coastal waters in blatant violation of environmental norms governing the shipping industry.
The empowered group of ministers (eGoM) meeting scheduled to be held on Tuesday to discuss outstanding issues concerning special economic zones (SEZs) including relaxing the controversial 5,000-hectare ceiling on large SEZs, has been called off.
Villagers of Cavrem-Quepem have expressed fears over an iron and manganese mine at Devapan-Dongor, even as the Goa Pollution control board has conveyed a hearing at Mallikarjun Temple at Cavrem on April 28 at 11 am. The villagers were aggrieved after the mine owner sought the renewal of the mining lease. "The proposed mining area, with a radiant of 40 mtrs, is situated atop the hillock at Devapan-Dongor and our houses are barely at a distance of 200-300 mtrs. If the mining is allowed, we will be affected by dust pollution and siltation,' said villagers while speaking to Herald.
Kalay Panch Vinod Gaonkar and youth from the village have threatened a hunger strike outside a mining company at Costi-Sanguem, if the company fails to employ locals and engage trucks owned by locals by the end of this month. Speaking to reporters, Mr Gaonkar said the agitation would highlight the employment of security guards from outside the state, thereby denying locals with employment. Mr Gaonkar did not deny the financial help rendered by the company in the construction of the temple and a clubhouse.
World's fastest growing acquatic weed, Water Hyacinth has returned back in the River Sal along the water course between Khareband and Benaulim. Known to multiply within days, weed has spread across the river, especially along the water course from Mungul to Benaulim. A look at the river course from the Khareband bridge would make any stranger to believe that the river has run dry and instead replaced by a green agricultural cover. The last time the weed was removed from the river was around half a decade ago during the de-silting of the river.
The Union Ministry of Rural Development has granted Rs 20.84 lakh to Goa as release of part payment of the first installment of the Central share for the implementation of the Swarnjayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY) during the current financial year (2008-09). Of the two District Rural Development Agencies (DRDAs) of Goa, North Goa has received Rs 14.71 lakh (total Centrala allocation Rs 88.25 lakh, first installment due Rs 44.12 lakh) and South Goa has received Rs 6.13 lakh (total Central allocation Rs 36.75 lakh, first installment due Rs 18.38 lakh.
Cumbarjua Fishermen's Ekvott and Cumbarjua Nadi Bachao Samiti have threatened to agitate if the government continues with its ostrich-like attitude to the death of fish in the river. Addressing a press conference here, Samiti President and Panch member Nityanand Sawant and secretary Mahendra Gaonkar said fishing activity has come to a halt as fish is dying due to release of discharge by a sea food factory located nearby.
"We will seek justice in the honourable High Court of Bombay" said Dr Shekhar Salkar, General Secretary of National Organization for Tobacco Eradication (NOTE). "Amitabh Bachchan was clearly shown smoking a cigar [in 'Family' film] in all the display-hoardings prominently. This amounts to clear and unambiguous breach of the law prevalent within the state and the country. However the session court did not appreciate the view of NOTE India, thereby absolving the respondents of the charges" added Dr Salkar.
