TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: As Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is on the verge of placing Goa’s mining policy on the floor of the House, he has to walk on the razor’s edge, if he has to satisfy business and its components – as he has said they have paid him money; the environmentalists who forced the government to take cognizance of the blatant and unbridled loot that took as brought out by the PAC report and the Justice Shah Commission of inquiry report and civic society; that forced the change in the elections and brought him to power. And do it with élan as not only the State but the whole country is looking at him. And added to this are Goans from all over the world.
The policy will have to ensure that it is in conformity with the Supreme Court judgement especially as it has given powers to the State to decide on its lease policy.
Indications are that he will continue with the old policy.
The chief minister has to balance four issues:
He has to decide what he has to do with the old policy (the Sept 2013 policy). He has to also reconcile the new policy with the recent High Court judgement which was delivered after mining companies approached the court on the subject of: Deemed renewals and the Doctrine of promissory estopel. That is – If you have promised to renew and taken money, than you need to do it.
The environmentalists and sections of civic society have also questioned the fact that over the last 8 years mining companies made profits in excess of Rs 30,000 crore, a majority of it from mining without a mining lease.
And a total spent on hiring trucks, barges and employees was less that Rs 12,000 crore.
Calude Alvares of Goa Foundation has asked why the State is compensating for the financial problems of the mining dependent. “Why is this not recovered from the windfall profits of the mining companies? As in contrast to Goa government which earned Rs 2387 crore from royalty over eight years of mining, the mining companies earned profits in excess of Rs 30,000 crore,” he asks, questioning, “What have the mining companies provided in terms of relief to mining dependent persons, especially truckers and barge owners, from their profits?”
Would the companies have earned even one rupee without the hard work and investments of truckers and barge owners?
Another point brought up by him is about how much is recoverable due to illegal mining as per the Supreme Court judgment such as – mining after Nov 22, 2007 (without a valid lease), violating section 37, violating section 38, creating dumps outside mining leases and dump mining? “Compare it with the Rs 145 crore per annum that the State will receive as royalty from the 28 leases that the State wants to renew. Is this in the public interest?” he asks.
As a result of the Supreme Court judgment, all ore ready for export as well as all 750 million tonnes of dumps are the property of the State. As per CM’s own statement, it contains 150 million tonnes of saleable ore (20%).What is the value of this material?
“There are many abandoned mines (including laterite quarries). There are many people looking for employment. There are many trucks idle. And there’s 750 million tonnes of dumps available for sale or for restoring the mines. Why isn’t the State rehabilitating abandoned mines first by employing the truckers rather than wanting to allow fresh extraction? Was this not the actual position of Manohar Parrikar when he was Chairman of PAC?,” is another question.
Who will control the existing mining mafia in the State which cannot be prosecuted despite violating every law in the rule book, even two years after being shut down? And, Why is the government keen to put income from iron ore into the Private Funds of mining companies instead? Why does the Government not want to implement the proposals made by the Goa Foundation on public sector mining and all revenues to the Goenchi Mati Permanent Fund? These are other relevant questions that the chief minister will have to keep in mind given that there will be questions raised in this, if not today then tomorrow.
