Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association (GMOEA), the apex industrial body, on Tuesday said that mining companies will file a petition in the Supreme Court (SC) this week, seeking a review of the SC’s recent order quashing second renewals of 88 mining leases and suspension of operations.
“We are studying the law before filing a review petition in the Supreme Court. I believe some members of GMOEA are going to file a review petition sometime this week,” GMOEA president Ambar Timblo told media persons after meeting Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, who is currently in Goa to work out a solution to the mining crisis.
Timblo said that the mining industry is searching for a solution to the current crisis keeping in mind the judgment of the Supreme Court and also provisions of the MMDR Act. “We are looking at options as how best the mining could commence as smooth as possible. In future, we don’t want to end up with the situation we are facing now,” he said.
The GMOEA chief said that during the meeting with Gadkari, he presented “facts and figures of the mining industry and how to go ahead about the resumption of the industry within the legal parameters.”
“We have given certain options on which government can work on. It is not a simple situation. We have acts like MMDR, Abolition Act, then there is this judgment, and previous judgment, we have to see which are the best legal options that can work, not only for the State and Centre, but for mining companies and the dependents also,” Timblo said.
Refusing to elaborate on the details of the presentation made to Gadkari, Timblo said the solution to the current crisis faced by the mining industry is not simple. “There are several laws governing the mining industry and we have to look into each,” he added.
Speaking on the auction of leases, the mine owner said, “We will have to first see if it is provided in the Act and also Supreme Court judgment. All things need to be studied”.
Mine lease holders Radha Timblo, Shivanand Salgaocar, Dattaraj Valingkar, Hairsh Melvani were amongst those who met Gadkari.
Melvani, who submitted an individual representation focusing on the local industry consumption, said his immediate request was that the government work out measures to ensure that employment of the people is protected. “Gadkari has told me, that we should consult some senior counsel or retired Supreme Court judge on the Supreme Court judgment and take their view as how government can go ahead,” he stated.
