PANJIM: After lobbying with the Centre for about a year now, the State has now given up on any solution to the mining issue from the Centre and has decided to take the matter in its own hands.
After the Cabinet meeting on Monday, ministers said that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar seems to have given up on any solution coming from the Centre. “I took up the mining issue with CM as people are asking us and we have no answer. Finally, the conclusion of the discussion was that the solution for the mining crisis has to come from the State,” TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai said.
Sardesai added, “Exactly what is that solution, I do not know, he (CM) did not elaborate. But he feels since nothing is coming from the Centre, State will have to do something.”
The minister said that he also questioned the CM about when the solution would come. “When I asked him when? Whether after the Lok Sabha polls, he said no, before that,” the TCP minister added.
Last year on February 7, the Supreme Court had struck down renewals of 88 mining leases by the State and closed down mines from March 16 last year.
Thereafter, the State politicians as well as the mining dependents met the Central leaders, BJP National President Amit Shah and so also Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though earlier this month Modi had assured a solution, it does not seem to be in the sight.
Over the last 12 months, the government had mulled multiple options including amendments in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDRA) to enable extension of leases to mines. Besides, appropriate amendments in the Goa, Daman & Diu Mining Concession (Abolitions & Declaration of Mining Leases) Act – Abolition Act, have also been considered.
However, with Parliament’s last session ending, the feasibility of bringing the necessary amendments in both these legislations appears dim, unless the Centre promulgates an Ordinance.
The state government is also learnt to be considering auctions to restarting mining operations. Auction of mines, however, could run into procedural hurdles as most of the land on which the mines are located belong to private landowners.
Any amendments in the MMDR Act and extending the leases only to resolve the Goa mining crisis could run counter to the Centre’s stated policy of auctioning natural resources.