SC order on mining leases: Goa delegation meets Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal

PANAJI: An all-party delegation from Goa today met Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal in Delhi and urged them to help the iron ore mining industry, which is staring at a crisis in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling.

The apex court last month quashed the second renewal of iron ore mining leases given to 88 companies in Goa in 2015, and directed the Centre and the Goa government to grant fresh environmental clearances to them.

"The delegation, comprising legislators from the BJP, the MGP (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party), the Congress, and Independents, was led by senior minister Sudin Dhavlikar," BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral told PTI here.

Cabral said Gadkari, who holds Highways and Shipping portfolio along with Road Transport and Water Resources, asked him to prepare a proposal to amend the Goa Abolition Act, which would extend the life of the existing mining leases and resolve the entire crisis.

"The proposal will have to be moved before the state Cabinet and has to be signed by all the political parties," he said.

Cabral said the delegation also met Power Minister Goyal and a senior officer from department of Mines as Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was out of the country.

"We are hopeful that the centre will consider our proposal and move an amendment to Goa Abolition Act in Parliament," he said, adding that the Goa government is looking forward to the Centre to save the mining industry in the state.

Dhavlikar, who holds Transport ministry in the BJP-led government, yesterday said Goa is staring at a revenue loss of Rs 3,500 crore annually and downscaling of nearly two lakh jobs following the SC order.

The apex court had said it was giving time till March 15 to mining lease holders, who have been granted a second renewal in violation of its previous directions, to manage their affairs.