TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday reiterated that auctioning of mines was not permitted under the law so it would not be done.
“Our senior advocate has pointed to the Supreme Court that it is not permitted under the law. If law permits, we can do it,” he told the media Tuesday.
Pointing out that the natural resources aspect is there when there is no proper law, he said that the Supreme Court decision says that when there is no proper law, natural resources should be auctioned.
Responding to a question on capping, the chief minister said that in a place like Sanguem that exported 17 million tonnes of ore the amount would come down as the area did not have that carrying capacity, but if there was a mining corridor it may go up.
“National Environmental Engineering Research Institute has been appointed to do an intergenerational study,” he said adding that the capping will be decided based on this study.
Speaking on the iron ore deposits Parrikar said that it was not true that the deposits would be over within nine to 10 yeas but that there were around 800 billion tones outside the 1km buffer zone; with the rest being under forest area.
The chief minister also said that the Land Acquisition Policy has been kept on hold till the Central act comes into force.
“Let me study the new act and if anything is not covered, we will cover (in our act),” he said.
