PANJIM: Exposing the very fact of the State government’s hurriedly renewed 25 iron ore mining leases on January 12- the day when the Mines and Minerals Development Regulation (MMDR) Amendment Act 2015 was notified, the Accountant General-Goa has raised question over the second renewal of these leases, when Union government has already ruled out renewals or second renewals of leases while recommending auction route.
Directorate of Mines and Geology has renewed total 88 mining leases under Section 8(3) of MMDR Act 1957 from November 2014 to January 2015.
“Reasons for granting renewals of mining leases under Section 8(3) of MMDR Act 1957, which was not available on the date of granting renewals that is on January 12, 2015 may please be clarified,” Audit officer B Vijendra Pai has said in his letter to Director Mines Prasanna Acharya on August 3.
Pai pointed out that total 25 mining leases were renewed on January 12, under Section 8(3) of the MMDR Act 1957. “However, as per the MMDR Amendment Ordinance, 2015 dated January 12 with immediate effect, Section 8 was substituted and a new Section 8 (A) was inserted after Section 8,” he said.
“As on January 12, no renewal clause such as first renewal or second renewal was available. Further, as per Section 8(A) (4), auction of leases becomes mandatory,” Audit officer said.
Herald had three months back exposed the very fact that several leases were renewed on January 12 and were also without approval from the India Bureau of Mines (IBM). The petitioner on illegal mining case before Supreme Court – Goa Foundation had also challenged these renewals.
Accountant General also pointed out that of the total renewed leases, the IBM approval for renewal of 12 leases was sought in the first and second week of January, whereas en-mass lease renewal orders were issued immediately on or before January 12. “Thus it is observed that the mandatory requirement of three months period for want of opinion from IBM has not been obtained in grant of second renewal of above licences,” the officer said.
“The urgency with which renewal orders have been issued on January 12 could not be ascertained,” Pai added, seeking proper clarification in this regard on priority. As per Section 24A(3) of the Mineral Concession Rules, 1960, prior approval of IBM is must before granted renewals.
