TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Even as it looks as if the Apex Court will hear the Goa mining case only after the Constitution Bench hearings are over, the 27 mines are to get their leases renewed – agreements signed – by the end of the month.
Officials said that the payments for the mines, which they call phase one, are done and the paper work would be completed by September end. However, mining insiders question the role of the EC and the reason why the environmental clearances were suspended saying that anyway Union ministry officials come down every six months to check the leases and any illegality is the responsibility of the IBM and the State Government’s Mines Department.
Mining operations in Goa had been banned by the apex court last October after a PIL was filed placing before it various aspects highlighted by the Justice M B Shah Commission of Inquiry which studied illegal mining in the country included Goa.
Goa which was one of the largest exporters of ore in the country had been said to have extracted ore that was found to be illegal by the commission to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore.
The State government had also recently said that it was looking at removing the ban on certain leases who documentation was clear of illegalities and the process would start by next week.
