Goa mining body urges govt to amend MMDR Act

Umbrella body of mining dependents GMPF on Thursday made a plea to the government to work towards the amendment to MMDR Act or Goa Daman and Diu Mining Concession Abolition Act, 1987, which would lead to early resumption of mining in Goa that came to a standstill in March last year.

"We... request the state government and central government to work towards the required amendment to Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) [MMDR] Act or Goa Daman and Diu Mining Concession Abolition Act, 1987," Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF) President Puti Gaonkar said.

GMPF represent lakhs of people employed in the mining industry in the in the state of Goa.

Mining came to a grinding halt in Goa last year after the Supreme Court quashed 88 leases and banned extraction of fresh iron ore.

GMPF also urged the centre to convene the meeting of Group of Ministers (GoM) at the earliest.

The GoM headed by Home Minister Amit Shah has been formed to examine the vexed issue of mining in Goa. The group includes union ministers for finance, environment, agriculture, mining, commerce and industries, petroleum and law.

Mining is one of the two major sources of livelihood in Goa and the complete shutdown of mining industry has hit the the livelihoods of more than three lakh people in the state, GMPF said.

The shutdown has caused an estimated loss of more than Rs 5,000 crore per year to the state of Goa, thereby adversely impacting the state's finances, it said.

People who were deriving their livelihood from the mining sector are indebted with loans which is causing an alarming situation wherein people are defaulting on payments towards the said loans and as such are on the verge of losing their houses and possessions, it added.