AERIAL VIEW
So overall, in last eleven years Goa has lost a total revenue of almost Rs 30000 cr till now and who is suffering is not the government or politiciains, it is the mining dependents who had invested heavily in mining machinaries and vehicles.
After Parrikar’s decision in 2012, the then Congress minister at the Centre for environment and forests, Jayanthi Natarajan cancelled all environment clearances granted to the 90-odd mining leases.
Further to make matters worse, Supreme Courtalso imposed a ban on mining, following a petition.
The mining sector resumed once again in 2014 with a 20 million ton cap on extraction of ore, but came to a standstill once again in 2018, after the apex court found glaring irregularities in the lease renewal processes and quashed 88 mining leases.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
Since 2012, the year late Manohar Parrikar was given a clear mandate by Goans to rule Goa, the State’s premier business mining has come to a grinding halt and vene 11 year later there has been no sign of resumption, though there have been N number of promises to do so.
It may be recalled that in 2012, following the Shah Commission report on illegal mining which was pegged at Rs 35k cr, the then Manohar Parrikar government ordered a temporary suspension of all mining activity in the state.
An Special Investigation Team was also set up to probe the matter and bring guilty to book. Eleven years down the line, neither anyone has been held accountable, money hasn’t been recovered nor the mining has resumed.
So overall, in last eleven years Goa has lost a total revenue of almost Rs 30000 cr till now and who is suffering is not the government or politiciains, it is the mining dependents who had invested heavily in mining machinaries and vehicles.
After Parrikar’s decision in 2012, the then Congress minister at the Centre for environment and forests, Jayanthi Natarajan cancelled all environment clearances granted to the 90-odd mining leases.
Further to make matters worse, Supreme Courtalso imposed a ban on mining, following a petition.
The mining sector resumed once again in 2014 with a 20 million ton cap on extraction of ore, but came to a standstill once again in 2018, after the apex court found glaring irregularities in the lease renewal processes and quashed 88 mining leases.
In 20122, the BJP made a promise to the peopel of Goa that mining would resume within 6 months of election. The BJP won, but the mining dependents lost.
Almost two years now for this new Dr Pramod Sawant government, Goa is still awaiting the resumption of the mining operations.
Interestingl;y, the Chief Minister continues to make promises on mining resumption, he did so during monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly.
He made a categorical statement in the House that the iron ore mining operations would restart by November.
Moreover, Sawant also told the House that nine blocks of iron ore have already been auctioned by the government and in turn collected Rs 45 crore by way of this auction. The government completed the first phase of the auction of mining blocks in December 2022, with four companies winning bids for the extraction of iron ore from different mineral-rich stretches in the state.
It was further mentioned that the process of issuing related environment clearances by the state government would be expedited.
In spite of all these assurances, one is not too sure if this new deadline for commencement of mining activities in Goa would be honoured.
In the past, there have been announcements of various such deadlines, with the government failing to keep all of them.
Now, just as the state government is preparing for the auction of the third round of iron ore mineral blocks, the Union Ministry of Mines has tightened the Mineral Auction Rules, 2015 and made it compulsory for states to inform within next 45 days to the Centre all details about mines that are ready for auctioning.
The revised Rules further say that states will also have to intimate to the Centre the receipt of any geological report prepared for the auction of mining lease from the Geological Survey of India, Mineral Exploration Corporation Ltd, or any other government or private entity, within a period of 45 days of receiving the report.
What is even more shocking is that CM Sawant, who is also the Finance Minister had shown Rs 1000 cr state’s income through mining.
The Opposition expressed strong doubts regarding the government’s repeated assurance to resume mining with Fatorda legislator Vijai Sardesai claiming it will be a disappointment this fiscal year as well.
Agreed, the government had suceeded in auctioning blocks but they have done nothing substantial to restart mining.
The mining companies are yet to get Environment Clearances. Wonder what is delaying the ECs when Sawant frequently talks of Double Engine Sarkar.
It now seems like the First Engine does not need the second engine anymore.
