Goa mining issue to be placed before GoM: Parrikar to miners

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today assured the mining industry stakeholders that he would take up the issue of proposed amendment to the Mining Act before the central Group of Ministers (GoM) in Delhi.

Parrikar, during a meeting with the mining industry dependents, told them that he would visit the national capital in the first week of August to discuss the issue.

The mining industry in Goa came to a standstill from March 16 this year, over a month after the Supreme Court quashed the second renewal of iron ore mining leases given to 88 companies in 2015.

A delegation of mining dependents met Parrikar at his office in Porvorim and urged him that the state should request the Parliament to amend the Goa, Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987.

They demanded that the state Legislative Assembly passes a resolution during its ongoing monsoon session for amending the Act.

"The chief minister said the issue would be taken up before the GoM formed by the PM. Parrikar will travel to Delhi either on August 4 or 6, where he will meet the GoM and discuss the issue," Puti Gaonkar, President of Goa Mining People's Front (GMPF) told reporters after the meeting.

He said the mining crisis could be resolved only after amending the Mining Act, which will prolong the life of leases till 2037.

"The CM said the issue would be discussed during the ongoing assembly session either through a calling attention motion or a resolution," Gaonkar said.

Parrikar asked the mining dependents to approach Congress leaders in Delhi for their support in the parliament, when amendment to the act would be moved, he added.

"We told the CM that we have already met Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who has assured to support us," Gaonkar said.