Team Herald
PANJIM: The three-member Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) on Tuesday decided to defend the State’s order on transportation of ore for which royalty was paid before March 15.
Speaking to Herald after a CAC meeting, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai disclosed that the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Vedanta has been listed for hearing on Wednesday in the Supreme Court. “The State of Goa has been made party as ‘others’ and as such we will defend our stand,” Sardesai said.
He said that the CAC will write to the State’s advocate in the Supreme Court, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) ANS Nadkarni. “Adv Nadkarni has already expressed his views on the issue and we will ask him to defend the State’s order in the SC,” Sardesai said.
The State government had allowed the transportation of ore for which royalty had been paid prior to March 15 following an opinion of the State Advocate General.
Following a Public Interest Litigation filed by Goa Foundation, the High Court last week, in an interim order, stopped transportation of ore related to operations of 88 lease holders whose renewals were cancelled by the Supreme Court in February 2018.
Thereafter, the High Court declined granting relief to mining companies and traders seeking to modify its interim order stopping transportation of ore.
Mining companies told the court that several tonnes of ore are in the process of transportation and that the High Court stopping transportation of ore has caused them heavy losses.
Applicants Vedanta Ltd, V M Salgaocar and Bro, Fomento Resources Pvt Ltd, Ambar Timblo and Mormugao Port Trust sought modification of the court’s order on various grounds.
