Goa Dy speaker assures renewal of mining licenses at earliest

Goa Deputy speaker Michael Lobo on Monday expressed solidarity towards the protesting mining dependents and assured renewal of mining licenses at the earliest.

Talking to media, Lobo said that they have to meet Union Minister Nitin Gadkari later in the evening to discuss the matter and would press from the same.

"The state government is sympathetic towards the demand of mining dependents and wants the iron ore activities to resume immediately as mining is their livelihood. We only have one demand from the Centre that is to resume he work in mining," Lobo said.

Earlier the police lathi-charged mining workers who were staging a protest at Panaji's KTC bus stand for the same.

On March 18, section 144 was imposed in the wake of agitation call by All Goa Truck Owners, Driver Association, Mining dependents and Barge owners.

The apex court on February 7 asked the Central government to start a fresh process of an auction for mining companies in Goa.

Earlier in October 2012, the apex court suspended all iron ore mining and transportation in the state, following a report submitted by Justice M.B. Shah Commission, which found that millions of tonnes of iron ore were illegally mined by a dozen mining companies.