TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goa government has submitted to the Union Mines Ministry to allow operation of the iron ore mining leases, whose renewal applications were pending before commencement of the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Amendment Ordinance 2015, as per the old MMDR law that was in force at that particular period.
A total of 88 renewal applications were received by the Mines Department during this period. Significantly, 44 of them were renewed during the period between January 5, when the cabinet approved final draft of the ordinance, and January 12, its execution. Therefore, the government pushed through renewals, in a blatantly unethical manner, knowing that the ordinance would be issued and is now using this to treat all these renewals as per the old law
It doesn’t stop there. The government has also urged the Mines Ministry to consider leases, whose renewal orders were passed after the date of commencement of the ordinance, under Section 8 (2) or (3) of the MMDR Act 1957.
Not just this, but the government has also demanded that the life of mining leases be granted for a period of 60 years and not for 50 years, with effect from May 23, 1987, when leases were first promulgated. As such the leases would be valid up to 2047. The state has also said that the lease renewal applications (undecided) received by the department prior to the ordinance, shall not be considered for auction.
In short, the state government has sought relaxation for the state mining industry in all the major clauses of the MMDR Amendment Ordinance 2015 that was notified last month. It has also slammed the central government for taking over all the powers of the state, who is the owner of the minerals.
During the first meeting on MMDR Amendment Ordinance, 2015, chaired by Union Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, held on January 19 in New Delhi, Goa made a strong representation, seeking relaxation in various clauses. The state was represented by Industries Minister Mahadev Naik.
The government has requested that the conditions to have a district mineral foundation and national mineral exploration trust be dropped for Goa, considering that the state has already formulated the Goa Mineral Ore Permanent Fund Scheme 2014, as per the Supreme Court’s directives, charging 10 per cent of sale value of minerals.
Meanwhile, in view of the discomfiture in Goa over the promulgation of the ordinance, the Directorate of Mines and Geology is organising a one-day orientation workshop on Friday to have a threadbare discussion on its implications.
Additional Secretary (Mines), Government of India, R Sridharan and his officials would attend the workshop, which will see participation of officials of the Mines Department, Goa State Pollution Control Board and state-level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, in the first session, where they would be apprised of the provisions of the qOrdinance in detail. In the second session, mining companies and stakeholders would be allowed to participate and air their apprehensions. The state government is also expected to air its demands at the workshop.
In the first session, the state Mines Department and other officials would be thoroughly apprised of the proposed amendment in the mining ordinance to remove their apprehensions in this regard. “We had a recent meeting with the senior officials of the Mines Ministry in this regard. They agreed to our request to have a thorough discussion with state mining officials,” Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya said.
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FIMI member questions ‘selective renewals’
Managing Committee member of the Federation of Indian Mineral Industries, Haresh Melwani, has expressed serious reservations about reports emanating that CM Laxmikant Parsekar is pushing for revocation of suspension of environment clearances for 10 or 12 leases. Melwani, who also has mining operations in Goa said, “It doesn’t make sense. There is no case for selective revival of ECs and if there is, the government should clearly state which are the 10 leases whose suspended ECs will be brought alive and why.”
“It is shocking that while we await the CR Babu Committee report to decide on the total cap on exploration, the government seeks to give back the original ECs with earlier exploration limits,” he added.
