PANJIM: The 116-odd mines working on the deemed lease provision have come under the scanner once again with the Centrally Empowered Committee once again bringing up the subject during the hearing in the Supreme Court. These had been mentioned in the Justice M B Shah commission report on illegal mining in the State as well.
The CEC has submitted its interim report and during the hearings it had sought the direction from the court for a further report asking for more time to visit all the mines.
However, the lawyers of mining companies had defended the work in those mines saying that there was nothing illegal and now was only the question of renewal.
However, the debate and the legality on mining leases and renewals is on ~ as the act calls for permissions to be given for 30 years with a renewal for 20 years. So as for many mines, if 1987 is the date under the new act ~ is it new permission or renewal as most mining leases claim to have come from Portuguese time.
