Reginaldo questions motive of all-party delegation on mining

PANJIM: Accusing his own party of failing to take its members into confidence, Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on Saturday said the decision to lead an all-party delegation to the Centre demanding a solution to the crisis in the iron ore mining industry is nothing but a “farce” and against the “State interest”. 

Speaking to media persons, Lourenco alleged that the BJP government is adopting a modus operandi similar to the one it had to grant second renewals to 88 mining leases, in a bid to avoid auctioning leases as recommended by the Supreme Court.

“Since 2012 the BJP-led government is involved in destroying the mining industry systematically. In a bid to protect the interest of a few mining giants, it is playing with the livelihood of innocents, dependent on this industry for decades,” he said.

“The all-party delegation, which will be going to Delhi on Monday to seek Central government intervention in the matter, is nothing but a farce. It is a move against the State interest,” he stated.

The Congress MLA slammed Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, who is part of the delegation, for failing to take the MLAs and Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) members into confidence. “Neither CLP nor PCC are aware what this all-party delegation is about. Whatever we have learnt is through the media. Leader of the Opposition has not discussed anything with us,” he said. 

Kavlekar and senior MLA Pratapsingh Rane were part of the meeting that resolved to call on the Central government through an all-party delegation seeking the Centre’s intervention in ensuring that mining activities continue after March 15.

“We are kept in the dark as to what is going to be the exact demand of the State. What are the pros and cons of this delegation? Or what are the modalities? Mining belongs to the people of Goa and not to a particular constituency or MLA,” he said.

Lourenco said that the Central government law – Mines and Minerals Development Regulation (MMDR) Act – clearly speaks about the auction mode for granting leases. Supreme Court, too, in various judgments said that natural resources belong to the people of the State and have to be auctioned to generate maximum revenue. “When Centre has made its stand clear by a law, what is the point in taking a delegation?” he questioned. 

Supreme Court while quashing second renewal of 88 mining leases has directed them to stop operations after March 15.