PANJIM: With the State hit hard by COVID-19 financially, the Dr Pramod Sawant government has urged the Centre for restarting mining operations in the State.
In his daily media briefing, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in this regard. “After the COVID outbreak, the tourism industry is badly hit and there seems to be no early revival of the industry in sight and hence the State will have to fall back on mining once again to generate revenue,” Sawant said.
Two years ago the Supreme Court had quashed the renewals of 88 mining leases thus bringing mining operations to a grinding halt. The sector’s contribution to the State kitty was nearly Rs 2,000 cr annually.
Asked what his plea before the Centre was, Sawant replied, “We have asked for the amendment for MMDR Act to restart mining at the earliest,” he said.
On the controversy of illegal ore transportation in South Goa, the CM said, “The transportation is regulated as only 40-45 trucks cross the weigh bridges per hour.”
He also ruled out any illegality in Karnataka trucks bringing manganese in the State on sugar permits saying there is nothing illegal. “Vehicles coming from Karnataka is an import activity. They are just dumping the ore and going, do not create confusion,” he said.
