Goemkarponn Desk
SANKHALI: Claiming that some people are still objecting to restarting of mining. state, Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant today said that his government would take all the steps to begin mining activities as soon as possible.
“My government will take all the steps to begin mining activities as soon as possible. Govt will follow all Supreme Court of India directives. We have to resume mining as it is about the livelihoods of the people of Goa,” said Sawant.
He further said that the state government was waiting for some of the permissions.
“Some sections of people are objecting to restarting mining, but we have to see the livelihoods of people,” he added
The iron ore industry in Goa came to a standstill after the Supreme Court quashed 88 mining leases in February 2018. In early 2021, the Supreme Court had dismissed petitions filed by the state government and a private mining company seeking review of a February 2018 order of the apex court.
In the run-up to the 2022 state elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Sawant-led state government made a slew of announcements towards resuming iron ore mining in the western Indian coastal state and spoke about a policy that would facilitate the auction of low-grade iron ore.