TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: On 28th September 2013, the notified Goa Mineral Policy was specific “There shall be no working of mines based on deemed extension status. As of today, 28 renewal applications have been decided. The renewal applications pending, shall be decided within 3 months provided all clearances are in place. As on date except those mines which are renewed, those others that may be renewed, only shall be allowed to work,” the past policy had stated.
The government went to the Supreme Court with this and took a stand that it had a notified mineral policy. On October 1, 2014, exactly a year later, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar while making his ‘The Goa Grant of Mining Lease Policy, 2014’ public, said that State cannot go ahead with all 28 lease renewals, as seven to eight leases are been indicted by Justice M B Shah Commission, Public Accounts Committee and Central Empowered Committee (CEC) for violation of Rule 37 and 38 of MCR.
The question is, did the Government go to the Supreme Court without applying its mind? The Shah Commission report and the PAC report as well as the findings of the CEC were in the public domain.
Secondly, when the HC ordered the renewal of all 28 leases, why didn’t the State government, which was losing ground, state that seven to eight leases fall under the “illegal category” and appeal against the order in the Supreme Court?
