E-auction of iron ore dumps to start in 15-20 days: Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said the e-auction of iron ore dumps lying across the state would begin in next 15 to 20 days, as a first step towards resumption of the mining industry.

He was responding to a concern raised by BJP MLA Pravin Zantye during Zero Hour in the Assembly over the impending crisis in the state's mining industry.

The chief minister told the House that the government was working to resolve the issue.

"The central government has been working to ensure that this industry resumes in a legal way. Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently chaired a meeting to find out a solution for the problem," Sawant said.

A follow-up meeting on the issue would be held next week, he informed.

"In the meantime, we are e-auctioning the ore which was extracted and lying in the state. The e-auction will be conducted within next 15 to 20 days and mining of the iron ore dumps will start within six months," Sawant said.

Earlier, raising the issue, Zantye said those dependent on the industry were panicking as some mining firms terminated services of their workers while some companies threatened to lay-off the employees.

The mining operations, a key source of revenue to the government, came to a standstill in March 2018 following a Supreme Court order which quashed 88 mining leases.

The BJP-led state government earlier requested the Centre to amend the existing mining laws so that the leases get extended.

Around two lakh people dependent on mining in Goa have been demanding that the central government amend the existing laws to make way for the industry's resumption in the coastal state.