PONDA: The Goa Mining People Front (GMPF) has demanded that State Government immediately file an affidavit in the Supreme Court to bring an Amendment to Mining Concession Abolition Act, 1987, giving prospective effect to the Act.
Addressing the media here, GMPF leader Puti Gaonkar said that giving prospective effect – from 1987 — to the Abolition Act would validate the mining leases, which in turn would pave the way for restarting mining.
He said that since the government has not yet filed the affidavit in the Supreme Court, nor is there any clarity on the stand of the Central government over mediating on the issue for immediate restart of mining, the GMPF core committee held a meeting on Wednesday at Hotel Pan Aroma to decide the course of action.
He said the Goa mine owners have challenged the Mining Concession Abolition Act in 1998. This petition is yet to be decided by SC.
Gaonkar said that if suitable amendment is made to the Mining Concession Abolition Act to make it enforceable prospectively, then, the mining would last till 2037. “If no effort is made to restart mining before the elections, then, the voters would take right decision to whom to elect at Lok Sabha polls,” he warned.
