It is heartening to read ‘Voice of Goa’ in 17th July edition, the long awaited and well considered statement by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, clarifying many ambiguities encircling ‘mining industry’ in Goa. I admire his quality of ‘statesmanship’ in his clarifications.
As an IIT-ian we feel his maturity of understanding the complicity of the matter vis a vis the importance of the mining industry for the overall prosperity of the state. His statements has set at rest several doubts and queries of the mining industry, which was in the minds of, not only of all the stake holders, but also of the people of Goa. Those who have extracted the mineral from 2007-12 didn’t know that it was illegal, he said. How true it is, in deed. But April 2014 SC judgment came as a shock and surprise to all, including the regulating bodies in the State as well as at the Centre!
The controversy on the interpretation of MMDR Act, 1957 and the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960, is altogether a different issue, which I am sure a clarity will come very soon from the Central Ministry on this controversy. Chief Minister said that the ‘Goa mining policy’ would provide an opportunity to mine owners to regularize their operations.
“The persons should be given opportunity to turn their irregularity into regularity, that solution would come in the Mining Policy he said.
All these statements appear very genuine and we only hope the proposed ‘mining policy’ will certainly take care of all these anomalies, misunderstandings, uncertainties and pave way for putting the mining industry, which is the very back bone for the Goan economy, on to the proper track. I pray that wisdom will prevail on all concerned not to kill the goose which was laying golden eggs. Let every forward thinking citizen of this country know that any material that cannot be grown through agricultural process, or created artificially in a laboratory or factory, has to be mined out from the earth. Therefore agriculture and mining are essential for the very survival of mankind. Mining, not only in Goa, elsewhere in the country should continue by taking all possible safeguards to preserve and maintain the ecology and environment.
It is possible to do eco-friendly mining, with the available technology, any where, be it within the vicinity of settlements, forests or even wild life sanctuaries. I wish and pray that responsible mining will start once again in the state of Goa for the comfort and happiness of the common citizen of Goa and bring back the overall prosperity to the State.
