PANJIM: The Goa government on Thursday revoked its 29-month-long temporary ban on iron ore mining operations in the state, ahead of the crucial meeting scheduled with the Union Mines Ministry on January 19.
The order issued by Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya is applicable to all mining leases, including renewed mining leases. A total of 80 mining leases are valid in Goa as of now, and they can start operations once all the conditions and permissions, including environment clearances (ECs) from the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), are obtained. The government is yet to decide on the capping limit for individual mining leases given the overall cap of 20 million tonnes for the state.
In accordance with the latest MMDR amendment ordinance, all these leases will be valid till March 2027.
“The state government has taken a policy decision to process renewal applications of mining leases, in terms of provision under Section 8(3) of MMDR (mines and minerals development regulation) Act and has accordingly started processing renewal applications,” the order stated.
“And whereas, the government is of the considered view that the continuance of the order dated September 10, 2012 is not required. As such the Government of Goa hereby revokes the order with immediate effect,” Acharya’s order said.
Acharya said that the apex court while lifting the mining suspension order had upheld the state government’s order and directed it to continue till it granted fresh mining leases. “This order is applicable to all mining leases, but more specifically to those which are renewed,” he said.
Following the Justice M B Shah Commission report that exposed the illegal mining scam worth Rs 35,000 crore, the BJP-led government had temporarily suspended iron ore mining operations and related activities in case of 90 operational mines, pending documentation of legal mines. This was followed by suspension of the EC by MoEF.
While the government had decided to begin the renewal of valid leases at that time, Goa Foundation in October approached the Supreme Court seeking implementation of the Shah Commission report that had claimed that almost all the mining leases in Goa are illegally operational.
The apex court then on October 5 imposed a ban on mining activities in the state. The ban was lifted on April 21, 2014, but not before declaring all the mining leases operational under deemed provision, as illegal.
Following a series of legal battles, the government in October last drafted a lease renewal policy and initiated the renewal process. A revenue of Rs 1000 crore has been collected in the form of stamp duty through lease deed renewals.
