PANJIM: The Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) has decided to petition Prime Minister Narendra Modi to seek his intervention and facilitate the immediate resumption of mining operations in the State, which have ceased since September 2012.
Slamming the State government for failing to abide by High Court order on execution of lease deeds with 27 lease holders, the Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) has sought clarity on the recently drafted ‘Goa Grant of Mining Leases Policy.’ The policy proposes the renewal of mining leases under section 8(3) of Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act.
GMPF, a mining workers’ NGO, during their special meeting Tuesday evening, threatened mass mobilization of people if mining does not resume within the deadlines announced by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
“Our only condition is that mining should start within the parameters of Supreme Court judgment,” GMPF convener Adv Suhaas Naik said.
The meeting decided to write to the chief minister seeking clarity on the mining leases policy on allocation and execution of leases. “The policy also does not give the basis on which it has categorized all mines into three categories,” Naik said adding ‘the lists of mines per category are also not stated.’
Naik said that through the policy, the govt has refused to abide by the High Court order on those 27 mining leases, which have paid the stamp duty. He said that policy also does not elucidate about job security to mining workers, who were laid off.
