PANJIM: Ahead of a crucial Supreme Court hearing on April 15, a delegation of Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) on Saturday met the Vice-Chairman of NITI Ayog, Dr Rajiv Kumar and the Union Law Secretary Dr Alok Srivastava briefing them about the issue.
The delegation consisting of GMPF President Puti Gaonkar, Chandrakant Gawas, Vithoba Gauns and Ramesh Sinari met Kumar as well as Srivastava and briefed them about the latest developments in mining resumption issue including judicial interventions by the Union Mines Ministry and GMPF.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Gaonkar said, “Vice Chairman of NITI Ayog assured that the issue of Goa shall be taken up on priority in the committee constituted to suggest a way ahead on mining matters in the country. He has also said that he will take up the matter for discussion with the Union Mines Secretary in the forthcoming days to help find a resolution during the upcoming hearing.”
Goankar further informed that the Union Law Secretary assured that the Union Government would take all appropriate steps to ensure that the livelihood of Goans is protected.
“After meeting with the key stakeholders in Delhi, I see some silver lining for lakhs of Goans who have been suffering with grief and uncertainty since past one year. I am also hopeful of resumption of mining operations in the State after the upcoming hearing in the Supreme Court of India,” he said.
Gaonkar informed that as no legislative cure had been brought in even after a year, the GMPF has filed an application in the pending abolition matter, seeking a direction that the 50 year lease period provided under Sec 8A(3) of the MMDR Act of 1957, for the purposes of the concessions converted into leases by the Abolition Act, 1987 will commence from the date of coming into force of the Act ie May 23,1987 and consequently mining operations can be permitted to be resumed on this basis.
He said, “Subsequently, an early hearing application has been filed by the central government in the pending abolition matter seeking an early date of hearing so as to decide the issues pertaining to title of the mining leases in view of the drastic economic adverse effect on the overall economy of the State and the effect on the livelihood of the persons directly or indirectly dependent upon mining activities. This application was mentioned by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on March 13, 2019 and the matter is tentatively listed on April 15, 2019.”
