PANJIM: The Goa government has pleaded before the High Court of Bombay at Goa for an extension of eight weeks to comply with its order on recovery of money from Vedanta. It has also sought to condone the delay of 31 days in the filing of the application.

The court on September 3 had disposed of a petition by NGO Goa Foundation that sought recovery of money from Vedanta for causing loss of several thousand crores to the State exchequer from 2007 to 12 through illegal mining. The court had then directed that an appropriate decision may be taken within eight weeks on the recovery.

“The documents involved in the issue are bulky and voluminous and considering the issue in itself which relates to mining which is a source of revenue to the State government, the same has to be therefore considered and analyzed scrupulously and in great detail,” the government submitted before the high court on Tuesday further stating that after the records and documents have been analyzed a legal opinion would also have to be sought since the financial and other bearings of the issue are wide and far reaching. 

The reply further mentioned that there has been a delay of 31 days in filing the present application for extension of time before the high court and it is on accord of the file being moved for government approval, time taken for drafting of the application and due to the Diwali vacation.