PANJIM: Ahead of crucial high-level meeting in New Delhi on the contentious mining resumption issue, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday assured the elected representatives from the mining belt that there would be clarity on the issue in next one month.
Sawant also asserted that the ore dump handling activities and the e-auction of ore would begin from October, followed by full-fledged mining activities.
The chief minister this evening held a meeting with the sarpanchas, deputy sarpanchas and councillors from mining areas and assured them that commencement of mining activities is the top priority for the government. The meeting was attended by Speaker Rajesh Patnekar, Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo and Mayem BJP MLA Pravin Zantye.
Speaking to Herald after the meeting, Dr Sawant said that a high-level meeting on mining issue would be held in Delhi in presence of Union Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi to work out ways and means towards resumption of iron ore activities in Goa.
“I am yet to get the date for the meeting. But the meeting will take place this month,” he said.
Dr Sawant said that the dump policy would be ready by next month and based on it dump handling activities would begin from October.
“We will also resume e-auction process which is currently at halt,” he stated.
The mining industry in Goa is shut since March 2018 after Supreme Court quashed and set aside second renewals granted to 88 leases. The Apex Court directed the government to initiate fresh lease renewal process.
Around 750 million tonnes of rejected ore is lying in form of dumps across the State. Similarly, there is around six to seven million tonnes of extracted ore, which is yet to be e-auctioned.
Earlier speaking, Deputy Sarpanch of Ambeshi-Pale Mahesh Gawas said that the chief minister has assured that within one month there would be clarity on the mining issue.
“The government has given priority to mining resumption and it is working in that direction,” he said.
Sunder Naik, a mining workers representative, said that the chief minister has assured to direct to mining companies not to retrench workers and also, those retrenched should be taken back once mining resumes.
“CM is very clear on this issue. He also wants to ensure that people from the mining belt get some relief and hence dump handling activities will be started from October,” Naik said.
Naik mentioned that the chief minister has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also concerned about the issue and he has directed the Mines Ministry to work in coordination with State to work out a solution, within the legal parameters, at the earliest.
