TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Bauxite mining operations at the Canaguinim plateau came to a halt on Thursday noon after District Collector N D Agrawal sought to know whether the activity was exempted by the Goa government.
Even as agitated Margao truckers once again stopped bauxite mining trucks from Canaguinim at the Eastern bypass heading to the MPT for unloading, police communicated the Collector’s directions to the mine owner Mayur Gosalia to stop the operation until further orders.
When contacted, the District Collector said he has sought clarifications from the Director of Mines whether bauxite mining was exempted from the purview of the government order revoking all mining leases in the state.
“The Director of Mines is presently in New Delhi in connection with the mining case. He has told me that he is returning to Goa in the next 2-3 days and will clarify the situation vis-a-vis bauxite mining,” Agrawal said.
The District Collector made it clear that his directions to stop the bauxite mining operations are temporary in nature pending clarification from the Director of Mines.
The Collector’s order, officials said, will cool down frayed tempers between local truck owners and the Margao truckers over the transportation of bauxite from Canaguinim.
