Team Herald
PANJIM: The failure of the State Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) or Cabinet to meet and resolve on the mining issue, which was a pre-requisite to seek the Centre’s intervention in ensuring mining activities continue, has led to canceling the delegation’s New Delhi visit, scheduled on Friday. This could well mean the end of the road any possibility of resumption of iron ore mining activities in the State after March 15.
Moreover, it is learnt that the BJP high command has shut the doors on Goa’s MLAs asking them to leave it to the Central leadership to decide.
After an unsuccessful first round of meetings in New Delhi, the ruling party delegation was to approach Union Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, with a demand that if not an amendment to the Abolition Act, than at least an ordinance be issued keeping in abeyance the Supreme Court’s February 7 judgment for the next four to five years, while simultaneously, initiating the process for auction of leases.
During their first meeting, Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari and Union Railways and Coal Minister Piyush Goyal had asked the delegation to return on March 9 with a proper cabinet decision and also approach the government requesting to submit a proposal to the Centre.
However, till Thursday, neither had the cabinet met nor had the newly constituted CAC met and resolved on the issue. The office memorandum declaring the scope of work of the CAC was issued on Thursday evening.
“Unless we get the copy of the order, we cannot hold the meeting. Even once the order is issued, the meeting can take place once the Chief Secretary drafts the agenda. CAC will definitely take up the mining issue, but when I can’t say at this point of time,” CAC member Minister Francis D’Souza said.
In the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is currently undergoing treatment in USA, there was no possibility for a cabinet meeting, even as he had said the meetings could be held via video conferencing or powers delegated to a senior minister to chair the cabinet meeting.
“We are not going to Delhi tomorrow (Friday). There is no point in going as the Union Ministers will ask for a cabinet decision, which we don’t have,” BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral said and added, “Without a cabinet decision, we cannot approach the Centre with any demand. During our last meeting itself, they had made it clear that we need to come with proper State proposal passed by the cabinet.”
The BJP MLA from the mining belt, however, said they may try to seek an appointment next week.
Interestingly, sources in the ruling dispensation confirmed that the BJP’s central leaders have asked the party not to come with anymore proposals, as the Central government is firm on auction of leases in Goa. “It has been told that the decision will be taken by the central leadership and there is no need to come with anymore proposals as they will not be entertained,” sources said.
