 "Goa govt to seek changes in MMDR Ordinance")
The Goa government plans to approach the Centre on the recently notified Mining and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Amendment Ordinance 2015.
While the Ordinance has paved the way for mineral excavations after two years of no activity, state officials say it is silent on the 20 million tonne of mineral output limit set by the Supreme Court in April 2014. Besides, it also mandates discharge of dumps at mine sites.
Production of 20 mt of iron ore annually will result in atleast 80 mt of dumps, which will need a total ground area of 1600 hectares. Barring a few cases where dumps are piled up upto 100 metres in height, ground area is required for discharge of dumps.
“Since the MMDR Ordinance prevents discharge of dumps outside the mine site, miners would not be able to follow the usual practice. If we take an estimated mine area of 8000 hectares, mine sites will be filled with dumps in five years. This means mining activities will come to an end in five years,” said Haresh Melwani, chief executive officer of H L Nathurmal & Co, a Goa-based iron ore miner and exporter.
“We have been mining minerals since 1960. Average mine spread is around 100 hectares. Mines are discharging dumps outside the mine site, with required permissions. We will take up this issue with the Centre to address the issue before commencing project executions,” said a senior official with the Department of Mining and Geology, Government of Goa.
Meanwhile, the state government has cleared over 90 applications for extension of lease period. Companies like Sesa Sterlite have already started execution of over half a dozen projects.
“The Centre’s decision should vary depending upon the lease area. For example, for an area upto 200 hectares, miners should be allowed to dump outside the mine site and also on existing mineral resources. Otherwise, mining will not take place beyond a very small duration,” said the official.
Meanwhile, Union Steel and Mines minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday held discussions on several points of the Ordinance to firm up timelines for their implementation.
Emphasising the urgent need to revive mining, Tomar said, “Our priority is not just to table the draft bill in next session of Parliament, but to start auctioning of mines in the least possible time.”
Secretary (Mines) Anup K Pujari, Additional Secretary (Mines) R Sridharan, and other senior officials of the mines ministry were also present in this internal review meeting.
While the Ordinance has paved the way for mineral excavations after two years of no activity, state officials say it is silent on the 20 million tonne of mineral output limit set by the Supreme Court in April 2014. Besides, it also mandates discharge of dumps at mine sites.
Production of 20 mt of iron ore annually will result in atleast 80 mt of dumps, which will need a total ground area of 1600 hectares. Barring a few cases where dumps are piled up upto 100 metres in height, ground area is required for discharge of dumps.
“Since the MMDR Ordinance prevents discharge of dumps outside the mine site, miners would not be able to follow the usual practice. If we take an estimated mine area of 8000 hectares, mine sites will be filled with dumps in five years. This means mining activities will come to an end in five years,” said Haresh Melwani, chief executive officer of H L Nathurmal & Co, a Goa-based iron ore miner and exporter.
“We have been mining minerals since 1960. Average mine spread is around 100 hectares. Mines are discharging dumps outside the mine site, with required permissions. We will take up this issue with the Centre to address the issue before commencing project executions,” said a senior official with the Department of Mining and Geology, Government of Goa.
Meanwhile, the state government has cleared over 90 applications for extension of lease period. Companies like Sesa Sterlite have already started execution of over half a dozen projects.
“The Centre’s decision should vary depending upon the lease area. For example, for an area upto 200 hectares, miners should be allowed to dump outside the mine site and also on existing mineral resources. Otherwise, mining will not take place beyond a very small duration,” said the official.
Meanwhile, Union Steel and Mines minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday held discussions on several points of the Ordinance to firm up timelines for their implementation.
Emphasising the urgent need to revive mining, Tomar said, “Our priority is not just to table the draft bill in next session of Parliament, but to start auctioning of mines in the least possible time.”
Secretary (Mines) Anup K Pujari, Additional Secretary (Mines) R Sridharan, and other senior officials of the mines ministry were also present in this internal review meeting.