TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: A total of twelve mining firms have made submissions before the North Goa collector on the dumps in private and government lands as mandated under the Land Use Policy of the State government. October 3 was the last date for the lease holders to apply to the respective collectorate.
To regulate the dumps of iron ore rejects in private and government property and to ban creation of additional dumps in the state and encroachments by stacking dumps, government, had last month notified land use policy by making necessary amendment to the Land Revenue Code (Amendment) Act, 2013.
Sources confirm that a month’s extension could be granted to firms to apply, as per the policy. Government will confiscate the ore if companies fail to claim it within the stipulated time frame.
The twelve companies include Sesa Goa, Chowgule & Co pvt ltd, V M Salgaoncar group of companies, Kunda Gharse, G K Pvt ltd, Salgaoncar bros Pvt ltd, amongst others. Five years would be given to the firm to clear the dumps and restore the land to its original state. This would be only after Supreme Court allows resumption of mining activities in the State.
Total revenue in the form of fees of around Rs 92 crores have been collected by the revenue department.
According to the policy, one has to pay Rs 120 per square metre on ore stored in private property and Rs 220 per square meter on dumps stacked in government property.
According to Directorate of Mines and Geology, State has around 750 million metric tons (MMT) of iron ore lying in the dump, spread across an area of 1000ha.
Additional collector-I of North Goa and South Goa district respectively are designated officers within their jurisdiction for implementation of the policy.
