 "Mining to resume soon in Goa as Centre revokes suspension order")
Bringing cheer to the mining sector in Goa, the Centre on Tuesday decided to revoke its earlier order suspending all environmental clearances (ECs) of mines in the coastal state. With the withdrawal of the suspension order, the Goa government said the mines would resume operations immediately.
In September 2012, then environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan had suspended ECs of mines in the state for alleged violation of rules. Her decision came days after the report of the M B Shah commission, which spoke about illegalities. The ministry has now decided to lift the abeyance of mines in Goa by following all Supreme Court directives, environment minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters in Parliament.
Javadekar said the suspension of mining had "created unemployment and a loss of income to the country".
The suspension has been lifted on 72 of the total 89 approved mining leases in Goa, he said, adding the remaining ones are within the one-kilometre radius of wildlife sanctuaries. The CM also said the state government would request the Centre to abolish export duty on ore with low ferrous content. "We are sure the Centre will abolish duty on low-grade ore and reduce that on high-grade ore," he said.
Currently, there is a 30 per cent export duty on ore. Following the Supreme Court order of April 2014, state and central government authorities were asked to follow all regulations to get mining operations restarted. In January this year, the state government had renewed 90 mining leases, sources said.
In September 2012, then environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan had suspended ECs of mines in the state for alleged violation of rules. Her decision came days after the report of the M B Shah commission, which spoke about illegalities. The ministry has now decided to lift the abeyance of mines in Goa by following all Supreme Court directives, environment minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters in Parliament.
Javadekar said the suspension of mining had "created unemployment and a loss of income to the country".
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Goa chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said: "The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change withdrew the suspension of ECs. The mining industry will resume operations immediately now."
The suspension has been lifted on 72 of the total 89 approved mining leases in Goa, he said, adding the remaining ones are within the one-kilometre radius of wildlife sanctuaries. The CM also said the state government would request the Centre to abolish export duty on ore with low ferrous content. "We are sure the Centre will abolish duty on low-grade ore and reduce that on high-grade ore," he said.
Currently, there is a 30 per cent export duty on ore. Following the Supreme Court order of April 2014, state and central government authorities were asked to follow all regulations to get mining operations restarted. In January this year, the state government had renewed 90 mining leases, sources said.