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The dragon singes green Goa

Forget real estate and tourism, Goa’s biggest threat now comes from iron-hungry China.

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PANAJI: Goans worry that Regional Plan 2011 — a mega urbanisation project — will turn seven crore square metres of verdant Goa into a concrete jungle, but underestimate a bigger threat to their environment: China.

Today, there’s intensive iron ore mining in the tourist paradise, all because of the iron-hungry dragon. Even low-grade iron ore (usually considered not saleable) is being sold to bridge the demand-supply gap. Goa’s iron ore exports to China have multiplied nine-fold since 2001. Last year, Goa exported 24.5 million tonnes of ore, nearly 13 million tonnes (53 per cent) of which went into China’s furnaces.

Iron ore used to fetch $15 per tonne in 2003. It now rakes in $30 a tonne, says Glen Kalavampara, joint secretary, Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association. BJP MLA Rajendra Arlekar says mine-owners do not observe environmental guidelines. Locals complain about round-the-clock mine operations affecting their health. But mine-owners like Dinar Tarcar say they take “all measures to keep pollution in check”. Goa Foundation, an NGO, went to court to ensure that licences would be given only after mine-owners got environmental clearance, but the government is yet to implement it. 

Still, as exports rise and China’s factories hum louder, mining could overtake real estate development as Goa’s biggest concern.

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