Goa mining body urges Indian government to amend mining legislation
2019-12-02 13:34:58 [Print]
The apex body representing miners and dependants in Goa has urged the central government to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDRA) 2015, as it is seen as the only way to resume iron ore mining in the region, closed since early last year.
The Goa Mining People's Front has demanded that the Goa and central governments work towards amending the legislation as all other means to resume iron ore mining operations have failed over the last year and hundreds of thousands of miners and their dependants were being deprived of their livelihood.
Iron ore mines were forced to shut down operations in March last year, following a directive of the Supreme Court. The court directive to close operations followed a verdict that held that the state government's renewal of leases for 88 iron ore mines was illegal, as the MMDRA stated that all allocations of natural resources and renewals of existing mining leases had to be done through auctions.
The organization has called for an immediate meeting of the Group of Ministers set up by the central government to resolve the mining imbroglio.
According to government data, Goa's iron ore production in 2009/10 was 38.14 million tons, 35.56 million tons in 2011/12, 33.64 million tons in 2012/13 and 10.90 million tons in 2013/14. There had been no production of iron ore in the following two financial years, as a temporary ban was imposed on the mines for violations of environmental laws. However, when operations resumed subsequently, mines in the state produced 1.80 million tons in 2016/17 and 8.93 million tons in the following fiscal.
The Goa Mining People's Front has demanded that the Goa and central governments work towards amending the legislation as all other means to resume iron ore mining operations have failed over the last year and hundreds of thousands of miners and their dependants were being deprived of their livelihood.
Iron ore mines were forced to shut down operations in March last year, following a directive of the Supreme Court. The court directive to close operations followed a verdict that held that the state government's renewal of leases for 88 iron ore mines was illegal, as the MMDRA stated that all allocations of natural resources and renewals of existing mining leases had to be done through auctions.
The organization has called for an immediate meeting of the Group of Ministers set up by the central government to resolve the mining imbroglio.
According to government data, Goa's iron ore production in 2009/10 was 38.14 million tons, 35.56 million tons in 2011/12, 33.64 million tons in 2012/13 and 10.90 million tons in 2013/14. There had been no production of iron ore in the following two financial years, as a temporary ban was imposed on the mines for violations of environmental laws. However, when operations resumed subsequently, mines in the state produced 1.80 million tons in 2016/17 and 8.93 million tons in the following fiscal.
