TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: By this month-end there is going to be none from the top brass of the mining team in place to take forward the commencement of mining operations in the State. For, even as the State struggles to get the local mining industry back on its feet, it is losing key government officials, making the prospects of an early start to mining operations appear even dimmer.
After former chief minister Manohar Parrikar joined the Union Cabinet and Principal Secretary Mines Pawan Kumar Sain, and Principal Secretary Parimal Rai set to join him in the Defence ministry – it is now Mines director Prassana Acharya who is set to go on long leave, sources said.
Acharya is said to have asked for 12 months official leave from December 1 to pursue further studies. Reports indicate that Acharya, handpicked by Parrikar to head the department, after its former head Arvind Lolienkar was indicted of irregularities, had sought a transfer.
It is now left to Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar who has retained the mining portfolio to build a new team and get mining restarted.
The nodal department that is spearheading the e-auction and the signing of the lease agreement is also understaffed with a paucity of technical people – something that Parrikar had promised to rectify but had not done when he left.
Sources said that Parsekar, who is new to the contentious mining issue, is going through the notes and law book on mining to fully grasp the subject, before taking any decision.
Sources said that the new Mines Minister has asked for detailed information on the present status of mining and the Department has handed over the notes and book of mining law to him.
