Team Herald 

Porvorim: Amidst opposition benches demanding to file a review petition in the Supreme Court to restart mining activities in the State, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday informed the Legislative Assembly, the government has sought a legislative cure since they considered it to be the fastest and amicable remedy to solve the crisis faced by mining industry in the State.

Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar had tabled Calling Attention motion on the mining issue during ongoing Budget Session of the Assembly.The ruling as well as opposition members expressed their support for resumption of miningand sought that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar conveys the affected dependents’ plight to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Parrikar who was present in the House during the discussion did not speak due to his health but tabled a written reply which has assured legislative cure being the fastest and amicable remedy on the issue.

“The State government consistently is making all efforts for early resumption of mining activities in the State of Goa and has sought Legislative cure being fastest and amicable remedy on the issue. However in doing so, the State government does not wish to leave any stone unturned, so that the final outcome or solution should withstand the test of judicial review and at the same time, such solution shall safeguard interest of mining affected people and held in early resumption of mining activity in the State of Goa,” the three-page reply said.

He went on to state that the State government requests all the members of the House to stand with it in its endeavor for early resumption of mining activities in the State in the interest of people and economy.

He also stated he co-shares the concern of all the Members of Goa Legislative Assembly, that mining should immediately resume in the State in the interest of the people directly or indirectly related with mining and allied activities in the State of Goa. “The co-shared concerns of this August House after the judgment and order of the Supreme Court o India dated February 7, 2018 thereby banning mining operations in the State from March 15, 2018 culminated in cohesive and united efforts of both ruling and opposition party in passing unanimous resolution favouring resumption of mining in the State at the earliest. It was also resolved to approach the Central government for necessary measures to be initiated in this behalf as Mines and Minerals Development is a subject under the domain of Union of India under the Constitution of India,” he said.   

During the discussion, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar who raised the Calling Attention on the issue, sought to know from the government prolonged delay to file a review plea in the Supreme Court. “Why has it taken 11 months (since the order of court) to file a review petition? Why is the government quiet on this? Give us a concrete solution (for resolving the mining crisis),” he said. 

Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo told the CM to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the plight of mining dependents across 13 constituencies in the State. “We are not supporting the mining firms but the common man who are dependent on this industry to earn their daily bread. The CM should convey their plight to PM,” he said. Senior Congress legislator Pratapsing Rane also sought PM’s immediate intervention while Congress legislator LuizinhoFaleiro questioned on the delay in filing a review plea. 

The people dependent on mining industry have been pressing with the Centre to amend existing mining laws so that iron ore leases get extension till the year 2037. PM Modi had recently said that he was aware of the issue and the Centre was looking at judicial solutions to the problem.