PANJIM: Pending the Supreme Court hearing on a appeal challenging the 1987 law, which abolished mining concessions granted by the Portuguese government, on April 23, that will decide the fate of iron ore leases in Goa, as many as 184 leases will stand expired on March 31. The State government, who is yet to take a call on these expiring leases, is banking on the Apex Court verdict, which could help in extending the life of leases to 2037.
Vedanta had moved the Supreme Court challenging the 1987 law that abolished mining concessions granted by the Portuguese government. Union Mines Ministry, had in March, last year, filed interlocutory application (IA) for an early hearing in the batch of matters related to Goa, Daman and Diu (Abolition and Declaration of Mining Leases) Act 1987. Goa Mining People’s Front had also filed an IA in the matter.
The Central government appointed Dr K Rajeswara Rao committee in December 2018 had identified a total of 184 non-working mining leases in Goa, which would have expired on March 31 as per Section 8A(6) of the MMDR Act (amendment) 2015.
Of these, there are 60 leases that fall in the protected areas of Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Park, within the buffer zone and hence cannot be taken up for mining in future.
Remaining mining leases – that is 124, can be taken up for mining in future through an e-auction.
Further, of these 124, there are 77 leases, which have never ever worked, since they were granted lease by the government and there are another 47 leases which have worked for some time.
Speaking to Herald, Director of Mines Arvind Bugde said that the government has not taken any decision on these leases and as such, they stand expired as per the schedule.
“The government is awaiting the Supreme Court verdict on the Abolition matter. We will abide by the order accordingly,” he said.
Of the total 184, there were a total of five mining leases, which were operational between 2007 and 2012 and one lease working between 2015 and February 2018.
The Union Ministry for Mines had earlier directed all the States to ensure that the e-auction process of these mines is initiated in September, 2019, to ensure that by the time the leases expire, they can be immediately put in operation, again.
