The Centre is unlikely to interfere into the issue pertaining to the cancellation of 88 mining leases in Goa by the Supreme Court. It will rather leave it to the state government to decide whether to file a review petition against the apex court’s February 7 judgment.
The apex court found fault in the way 88 leases were renewed by the state government between 2014 and 2015 and asked the state to cancel all of them and stop mining with effect from March 16. Asked whether the Centre would file a review petition against the order, Tomar said, “The state government should do it. It’s a Supreme Court issue in which Centre has got nothing to say.” Mine is a state subject.
The mining sector is Goa had received a similar blow in 2012, due to a ban imposed by the apex court on charges of illegal mining. It started limping back to normalcy only after 2015 even though the 20 million tonne per production cap, imposed then, is still valid. “Goa mining industry is a victim of negative impression. Though the earlier shut down had hit the industry hard, the stoppage of extraction of the ore this time will hit us harder. Our right to do business has gone,” said Ambar Timblo, president, Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association.
Mining leases in Goa was originally granted as mining concessions by the erstwhile Portuguese government between 1941 and 1953 under which a mining concession did not have any limit on tenure.
However, in 1987, the concessions were abolished and converted into mining leases under the MMDR Act, 1987. Nearly 60,000 people work in these mines and their livelihood is dependent on it.
