PANJIM: Agreeing to give mining leaseholders some relief, Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) has in-principle decided to extend the time period for extraction of iron ore and its transportation till March 15 evening, subject to approval of the Advocate General (AG). If the AG grants the go ahead, then the order is likely to be issued by Monday, March 12.
“We have currently sought Advocate General’s opinion on revised operating procedure (SOP). We have in-principle no objection to allow extraction and transportation activities till March 15 evening but subject to concurrence by AG,” Mines Director Prasanna Acharya told Herald.
“However, since we look after storage and transportation as per MMRD Act, we shall electronically lock all the weighbridges from leasehold areas at 7.00 pm on March 15 apart from continuing daily inspection and monitoring of leases and production,” Acharya said.
In a set of instructions issued on March 6, DMG had initiated steps towards implementing the February 7 Supreme Court judgment, wherein lease holders of working mines were directed to stop ore extraction activities on March 13 and had banned transportation activities after 6.00pm from March 14. DMG has also asked lease holders to clear the site of all kind of immovable machinery by the afternoon of March 15.
The Supreme Court had quashed second renewal of 88 mining leases while directing them to stop operations after March 15.
The March 6 order of DMG had created panic amongst lease holders, mining dependents and MLAs from the mining belt. During the recent BJP MLAs meeting chaired by Minister Francis D’Souza the legislators had raised concern and demanded that production activities be allowed till March 15 midnight.
Accordingly D’Souza, who is also member of Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC), had directed Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma to look into the matter and issue directions accordingly. Also, Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA) had approached Sharma with a similar concern.
“Nothing was given to me in writing by anyone. It was just a concern raised by Ministers and GMOEA before me. I directed GMOEA to have a meeting with Director Mines and decide accordingly. The meeting was held between the two on whether to continue with same SOP or to go for new,” Sharma told Herald.
The Chief Secretary said that instructions issued by DMG were basically to implement the Supreme Court judgment. “Mines Department and lease holders are equally responsible to ensure that the Supreme Court judgment is complied with and that there is no contempt,” he added.
Earlier, Acharya had said the department will ensure that there are no haphazard mining activities during the period before the ban. “Production till March 15 will be strictly monitored. All necessary safeguards are already in place. Production is also monitored by regional controller of Mines – IBM Margao,” he said.
The Director said production per day is on the decline. As per the information available from DMG, since February 7 till March 8, fresh ore production is only 1.93 million tonnes. The production per day is restricted between 0.01 to 0.09 million tonnes.
