Friday, July 30, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa Blog

Goa State dams flowing to full capacity

Posted: 30 Jul 2010 09:03 AM PDT

Incessant rains, which the state witnessed recently, have lead to the Selaulim dam overflowing after crossing the 41.150-metre mark. However, there is no threat of floods to the residents living in the vicinity. An official in the water resources department said that the dam is overflowing as there are no gates to release the water in river. Hence, the water flows and regulates itself.

Dams in Goa

The official further stated that the Panchwadi dam too has started overflowing since July 19 after crossing the 26-metre mark. He said that the Anjunem dam has touched the 86.97-metre mark, its capacity being 93.20 metres. Similarly, the Chapoli dam has touched 35.41 metres and its capacity is 38.75 metres.

The Amthane dam is also approaching its full capacity as the water level has touched 47.85 metres as against its full capacity of 50.05 metres, stated the official. He further said that at the start of monsoon, rainfall was deficient but picked up as monsoon progressed and the dams and minor irrigation projects in the state are nearing full capacity.

The official also said that the water resource department is closely monitoring the situation and that the water levels are being checked. Meanwhile, the official informed that the department is in the process of bringing the Selaulim dam under the Goa dam monitoring project through Global Positioning System. He said that the process has already been initiated and the dam will shortly come under the new system, which will allow the department to closely monitor water levels in the dam, canals and help carry out other analysis.

He further said that gradually the department will also get other dams and irrigation projects under the Goa dam monitoring project which will not only help the department in monitoring the water levels from a central server but will also help in the management of the water resources.

The Goa dam monitoring project was first implemented at the Anjunem dam and it has yielded good results, said the official. He further stated that the department has been able to closely monitor the water levels at the dam more effectively as the system transmits data every 30 minutes.

Courtesy: Navhind Times

Goa to frame new mining policy

Posted: 30 Jul 2010 07:24 AM PDT

Faced with increasing civic protests against rampant mining in the state, the Goa government is considering framing a new mining policy. In a written reply in the assembly, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Friday also said his government is processing more than 600 applications for prospecting licences.

“The application for grant of prospecting licences have been received by the department (mining) which are under scrutiny and process,” said Kamat, who also holds the mine portfolio, in reply to a query by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) member Damodar Naik. Among those who have applied for prospecting licences are Dempo Corporation and Sesa Industries, both owned by Vendanta Resources, Sociedade Fomento Industries and Nationalist Congress party (NCP) National Secretary Jeetendra Deshprabhu.

The union ministry for environment and forests (MoEF) has imposed a moratorium on mining proposals until a “comprehensive environmental impact assessment of all mining activities” in the state is conducted. Kamat had recently said the state government was considering 246 applications for new mining leases in Goa, in addition to the 100-odd existing iron and manganese ore mines which dot the state’s hinterland.

Villages in close vicinity of these mining areas have for often served as virtual battlegrounds for mining companies and anti-mining activists, with the latter claiming that open cast mining is causing ecological havoc in the region by denuding forests and upsetting the ground water levels due to haphazard drilling for ore.

Leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar has repeatedly alleged that Kamat and several of his cabinet colleagues were sheltering illegal mining operations, which the former chief minister said accounted for nearly 18 per cent of the total ore exports. Nearly 40 million tonnes of ore are extracted and exported annually from the state.

Courtesy: hindustantimes

841 cases of damage by wild Elephants in Goa till date

Posted: 30 Jul 2010 07:09 AM PDT

Union Minister of Forest and Environment informed Mr Shantaram Naik M.P. in a written reply to his his question that as reported by Forest Department of Goa, 841 cases of damages by the wild elephants have taken place during 2005-06 to 2009-10 including death of 2 human beings. He said most of the incidences have been reported from villages in the

North Goa Forest Division like Ibrampur, Khutwal, Hassapur, Halarna, Talarna, Torxem, Revora etc. The estimated value of the loss of the crops in the damages has been to the tune of Rs.51.5 Lakhs. No Annual Plan Operation has been received from Government of Goa for seeking financial assistance under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Project Elephant to prevent the menace, Minister said.

A Coordination Committee consisting of representatives of Forest Departments of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa has been constituted to take coordinated action to tackle the menace. The Committee meets as and when required and decides the course of action to be taken including early warning system to the neighboring States, Minister informed.

Giving countrywide statistics, Minister said Ministry has received report of 1767 human deaths by wild elephants during the period 2005-06 to 2009-10. It has also received report of 1,12,439 cases of crop damages during the same period.
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