Team Herald
PANJIM: The 26th and the last e-auction of 2.037 million tonnes of iron ore has been fixed on August 27.
Since November 2014, Directorate of Mines and Geology has been conducting e-auctions of the iron ore declared to be illegally mined and which is in its custody after the Supreme Court held that the deemed mining lessees expired after November 22, 2007.
According to sources, the extracted ore is lying at Cudnem, Sonus-Onvalim, Pissurlem, Vagus plant, Pale mine, Kotambi jetty, Collem and Cauvrem plant.
Earlier, the State government had suspended mining operations in the State in September 2012 and later the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), New Delhi kept all Environment Clearances (ECs) granted to mines in abeyance.
Approximately 16 million tonnes of ore extracted illegally and lying at mines, plots and jetties was in the custody of the State government and till date approximately 14 million tonnes has been e-auctioned to the bidders thereby fetching revenue of about Rs 1300 crore.
The Supreme Court in February 2018 by an order had quashed second renewals of 88 mining leases and banned mining activity with effect from March 16, 2018.
