Team Herald
PANJIM: Goa Foundation (GF) has challenged the State government’s renewal of 88 mining leases and the revocation of environment clearances (ECs) by Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) in the Supreme Court. This poses yet another major hurdle in the path of resumption of iron ore mining activities in the State.
GF has sought quashing of the second renewal order issued by government under Section 8(3) of the Mines and Minerals Development Regulation (MMDR) Act 1957 and also MoEF order lifting the EC abeyance in the case of 72 mining leases.
GF Director Dr Claude Alvares confirmed having filed the writ petition in the Supreme Court but didn’t disclose the petition’s details. “We have filed the WP challenging lease renewals and ECs,” Alvares said.
Goa Foundation has pointed out that of the 88 renewed leases, 56 leases were renewed between January 6 and 12, this year, of which 31 were renewed on January 12 the day on which the Central government passed the MMDR ordinance setting aside renewals under Section 8(3) and proposed the auction route.
GF has also claimed that the Goa Grant of Lease Policy 2014 was passed by the cabinet in November 2014 but notified only on January 20, 2015. During this period several leases were granted second renewal illegally. The foundation also highlighted that in most cases Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) clearance has not been sought though it is mandatory as per the MMDR Act and Apex Court order issued on April 21, 2014.
GF had in June filed a corruption case before Vigilance Department against Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Mines secretary Pawan Kumar Sain and Mines director Prasanna Acharya for illegally and fraudulently renewing 88 mining leases.
GF has pegged the loss to the State exchequer to the tune of Rs 1,50,000 crore (Rs 1,18,663 crore to be recovered from mine owners for illegal mining and Rs 79,836 crore through illegal renewals) by renewing leases of those mines that the Supreme Court had identified as being involved in illegalities.
