TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that if the Supreme Court modifies or vacates its earlier order suspending mining operations in the State, Goa government will permit legal mining to start within six to eight weeks.
He, however, informed that the case filed by Claude Alvares, in the Apex Court which then passed the ad-interim stay on mining in October last year, has not yet come up for hearing.
In another statement in the House Thursday related to mining, chief minister said that those still wanting to register their trucks affected by mining ban to claim compensation, could do so before the scheme is notified, but clarified that the compensation would only be for those with one or two trucks.
Parrikar said, “Registering the trucks does not necessarily mean entitlement to the package,” adding that certain criteria and parameters would be followed for disbursement of the financial package. He clarified that there could be more than 20,000 trucks engaged in mining operations.
Presently the count of registered trucks with GEL is 9771, he disclosed, adding that the government will cross check all the data with records from the mines department and transport department vis-a-vis mining companies, truck hiring companies and others.
Still ruing the decision of the Union environment and mines ministry to mandate the Shah Commission to study mining illegalities in Goa, Parrikar said its reports has gone against mining in the State of Goa. He said that when he was in the Public Accounts Committee he knew of the mining illegalities and had begun the process to nip the illegalities.
“While our process was on, suddenly the Shah Commission report without cabinet approval was flashed and thereafter mining was stopped in Goa.”
Narrating the sequence of events, Parrikar disclosed that there were 82 leases which were in operation for 2011-12 which were suspended earlier and the state government was studying them case by case. He said that the union environment minister without even scrutinizing the files suspended back all environment clearances.
