TEAM HERALD
[email protected]
PANJIM: A discussion on mining in Goa today morning saw speakers demand that one company of one individual should not own more than 5 mining leases. It also mooted that if companies retrench workers then their leases should be taken over by the government. A cap on exports of 10 million tones was sought, but that too after a feasibility report made to check on present day reality vis-à-vis population and bullock cart transportation versus truck transportation.
The discussion held at the International centre today saw Bushan Bhave – who has translated the Shah Commission report into Marathi – say that he had sat through 125 public hearings and alleged that mines owners had managed many of them. He said that he saw that in 25-30 cases there was strong opposition from the villagers.
Speaking on the Shah Commission report he said that the estimated Rs 35,000 crore loss that the report tabulated was reasonable as this illegal mining was going on for the past 5-6 years.
Ramesh Gawas, an activist teacher speaking on the mining scenario at present, quoted a Madras High Court judgment that said that State governments to prepare a feasibility report before granting leases. “This is not being followed,” he said.
Demanding that not more than 5 mining leases should be owned by any one company or any one individual as otherwise their political clout made a mockery of state politics. He said that rest of the leases should be taken back by the state. He also said that the notice should be given to all mining companies that if any notice of retrenchment is issued to workers then the leases would be taken back by the government.
“A critical thorough study should be made to identify legal and illegal mines,” he said, adding that the maximum that could be exported was 10 million tones. “Cannot be more than that,” he said adding that even then before that a feasibility report should be also prepared.
“Leases were granted in1950s when population was less (4,50,000). Mines were also manually operated. Bullock carts were used for transportation. Now population much higher and trucks are creating havoc on the roads,” so this has to be looked into,” he told media after the seminar.
During his discourse he alleged that every mine from the state was illegal as there were 17 departments that were connected with mining and not a single one had inspected mines. “Mining department repeatedly saying that have no staff, so how can they superwise 105 mines?” he asked.
Satish Sonak, a lawyer and part of the IAC said that in the present scenario, dumps where trees have been planted should be left untouched but others could be exported as truck owners and others affected could earn something.
He said that exports could be done through a Supreme Court appointed monitoring committee and could act as a receiver or the central government could purchase the dumps.
The state has also been pushing for exports of dumps and saying that the stoppage of all mining activities has affected a large majority of people in the state.
