PANJIM: The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has discharged all show cause notices issued to 43 mining firms, over excess iron ore production (beyond the environment clearance limit), claiming that the Board is not in a position to verify the data and pointing out that the Supreme Court is currently seized of the matter. Goa Foundation, which had submitted the data, has already withdrawn from the matter as the Apex Court is seized of it based on its PIL. The Board said “as there is no conclusive evidence before them” regarding the mining units having exceeded permissible limits in extraction of mineral ore, which can only be conclusively verified by the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) that is the relevant authority to verify it, it was disposing off the matter. Speaking to reporters, GSPCB chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said that the board is not in a position to independently verify the data pertaining to quantity of mineral ore extracted by mining units. “At the same time since the Supreme Court is also seized of the issue, it would not be appropriate for the Board to further proceed in the matter,” he said. He added that the show-cause notices issued by the board stand discharged. Noronha said that the order will be placed before Bombay High Court at Goa on Monday, where the petition of excess mining by Goa Foundation was filed. Goa Foundation in July 2011 had filed a complaint with GSPCB alleging that over 1.32 crore tonnes of iron ore was illegally extracted in Goa between 2006 and 2010, by 43 mining firms. Accordingly, in September 2011, show cause notices were issued to the firms as to why no action be initiated for operating in violation of consent to operate issued by the board. The High Court in January 2012 directed GSPCB to hold hearing of mining firms and Goa Foundation over the matter. Accordingly the hearings were conducted, which concluded in December.