27 Goa mines will start from Dec onwards: Parrikar

GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 18 August 2014 21:13 IST

At least 27 mines would be start operating in Goa between December to February if chief minister Manohar Parrikar succeeds in implementing the time-bound programme he announced in the Assembly today.

Not a single legislator, in a four-hour long debate in the House specially held on the mining issue, opposed granting mining leases to the same Goan mine owners.

The galleries of the Goa Assembly, perhaps for the first time, were fully packed with all the stakeholders in the mining industry.

Goan mines have been stopped since September 2012 after the Supreme Court banned mining operations in the state, based on illegalities to the tune of Rs 35,000 crore by Justice Shah Commission by the Goan mine owners.

While replying to the special debate, Parrikar said the lease agreements for 27 mining leases would be signed between 30 September to 10 October, after which mining operations could begin between October to December.

The Bombay high court at Panaji has recently ordered Goa government to renew 27 mining leases, which have paid the stamp duty.

Accordingly, he said the notification to grant leases to 27 leases would be notified on 20 September.

Prior to this, the chief minister said the loan relief scheme would be notified by 21 August, following which settlement of truck owners’ loans would begin by 26 August while relief to other dependents would be granted by 15 October.

Parrikar refuted the allegation that money from public exchequer was paid to the mining stakeholders as relief.

“I have till date recovered Rs 900 crore from the mine owners from the time mines have closed while only Rs 100 crore have been paid as relief. The rest is being utilised for infrastructure development of Goa and to pay the salaries”, he said.

He also informed the House that at least Rs 1500 crore more would come to the treasury through e-auction.

Parrikar also flayed the claims made by the environmentalists that mine owners would earn crores of rupees by exporting iron ore at the rate of $ 119 per metric tonne.

“International prices for Goan ore of 58 grade have crashed to $60 per MT and the mine owner ultimately gets only $32 per MT, after spending on overheads and payment of taxes”, he informed the House.

Referring to the demand made by treasury benches, Parrikar said the state would definitely act against those involved in illegalities and nobody would be spared.

“But even the Supreme Court has said that action should be taken only after giving them proper hearing in tune with the principle of natural justice. The members  thus need to have patience”, he said.

None of the members, including the opposition, however echoed the demand of forming a state-owned corporation to run mines or auction the mining leases.

On the contrary, some of the ruling MLAs like Subhash Faldesai, Nilesh Cabral, Ganesh Gaonkar, Vishnu Wagh and even opposition MLAs like Vishwajeet Rane and Vijay Sardesai strongly supported the government move to grant leases to the same mine owners.

Some of them even feared that opening out leases to outsiders could result into mining mafia coming into Goa and controlling the industry.

Digambar Kamat, former chief minister holding mining portfolio even in the erstwhile Parrikar ministry before joining the Congress, strongly demanded that all mining leases be renewed on the lines of the stand taken by the Orissa government. 


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Previous Comments

GOANS Must Demand, First Recover Mining Loot And Then Re-Start Mining. And If Start Then Swaraj Act Must Be Passed, So That Mining Income Can Come In The Hands Of Goans And Not Go In The Hands Of The Few Rich People. Swaraj Is A Must To Start Mining, So That Mining Income Can Come In The Hands Of Whole Village People.

- Jose Rod, Goa | 19 th August 2014 19:26

 

Mining Royalty Should Go In The Hands Of The Villagers Through Swaraj Act. Mining Royalty For All Goans. Affected Or Not Affected By Mining. Dependent Or Not Depend On Mining. Mining Royalty For All Goans.

- Jose Rod, Goa | 19 th August 2014 19:25

 

Mining Royalty Should Go In The Hands Of The Villagers Through Swaraj Act. Mining Royalty For All Goans. Affected Or Not Affected By Mining. Dependent Or Not Depend On Mining. Mining Royalty For All Goans.

- Jose Rod, Goa | 19 th August 2014 19:20

 

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