Mining dependants stare at a bleak future as winter session ends today

NT NETWORK

 

PANAJI

With the winter session of Parliament ending on Wednesday, there is no sign of the promised amendment to the Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 for resumption of iron ore mining in Goa, thus disappointing the mining dependants.

Bharatiya Janata Party’s MPs from Goa, time and again, promised the mining dependants that the central government would amend the MMDR Act to grant relief to them. However, with the month-long winter session of the Parliament ending on Wednesday, there is no Bill related to the MMDR Act on the agenda.

On February 7, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that the ‘renewals’ of 88 mining leases by the Goa government in 2015 were illegal and directed the government to shut down the iron ore mining operations in the state from March 15, 2018. Since then, mining activity in Goa has come to a standstill.

A few days prior to the commencement of the winter session of Parliament, a news report was published stating that the Union Law Ministry had rejected a proposal for an ordinance to help resume Goa’s mining.

Interestingly, reacting to that news report, South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar had said that there was never a proposal of promulgating an ordinance to amend the MMDR Act and that the amendment to the Act would come in the winter session.

Now, with the winter session about to conclude on Wednesday, Sawaikar said, “We are trying over level best and all possible means to restart mining activities in Goa.”

In August 2018, the Goa assembly had passed a unanimous resolution urging the Centre to promulgate ordinance to amend the Goa Daman and Diu (Abolition of Concession and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987 so that it could avoid the process of auction.

Later, a delegation led by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on the mining matter.

Interestingly, the Centre had also constituted a group of ministers to study the mining matter pertaining to Goa.

After that, the Chief Minister had written a letter to the Union Mines Ministry seeking ‘legislative cure’ extending the validity of Goa’s mining leases. However, nothing moved forward at the Centre even after the mining dependants held a protest in New Delhi to coincide with the start of the winter session of Parliament – effectively the last full-fledged session of this government’s tenure – hopeful that the amendment would be passed before the session concludes.

Though there will be a budget session of the Parliament, probably in the first week of February, now no BJP leader dares to give commitment that a Bill to amend the MMDR Act would come in the Parliament.

Last month, after state cabinet meeting, Power Minister Nilesh Cabral had told media that a delegation comprising of ministers would meet the Prime Minister to discuss the mining issue. However, there is no sign of sending the ministers’ delegation to the national capital.

Now, Minister for Public Works Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar has promised the mining dependants that an appointment with the Prime Minister would be sought before January 16.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai had also made an attempt to provide relief to the mining dependants through Union minister Suresh Prabhu.

After the much-talked assurances by the ruling party, it now appears that the possibility of mining operations resuming in the state remain bleak for the mining dependants.