Team Herald
PANJIM: After Vedanta – the leading mining company in the country – announced resumption of its mining operations, three other giants in the State, including Fomento Resources, V M Salgaocar Brothers and Chowgule will resume mining operation from the coming season in October.
A statement issued by Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association (GMOEA), said that a “number of the State’s largest mineral resource companies like Vedanta, Fomento Resources, V M Salgaocar Brothers and Chowgule, etc have confirmed their intent and initiated preparatory acts to begin mining-related activities commencing after the monsoon in September-October, this year.”
“These activities, as in the past, would gain momentum post the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration,” GMOEA secretary Glenn Kalavampara said.
He said that pursuant to the judgment of Supreme Court in April 2014 and High Court order in August 2014, both the Central and State governments have acted and complied with the directions of the courts.
After a gap of three years, Sesa Goa, a subsidiary of Vedanta announced resumption of mining in Goa on August 10 at its Codli mines, which was Asia’s largest mining site before it shut down and has an extraction capacity of 3.1 million tonnes.
The government has renewed mining leases of 88 mines, but all are under scanner of the Accountant General of Goa, for failing to obtain clearances from the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM).
The petitioner in the Supreme Court – Goa Foundation – has also approached Vigilance Department in the matter and has filed a complaint against Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Mines Secretary Pawan Kumar Sain and Director Mines Prasanna Acharya for illegal and fraudulent renewal of leases.
