Goa mining ban resolution may fall on next central government

New Delhi: A year after banning mining in Goa, the fate of mining operations in the state is still hanging and the mining industry is unsure of its future. Uncertainty loomed as the Supreme Court’s order to shut mining in the coastal state completed one year on February 7, 2019. Local mining bodies have claimed that lives of over 3 lakh people dependent on mining operations are at stake.

According to a top Mining Ministry source, the fate of mining will most probably be decided by the next Union government. “We have no legislative room left except an option of a central ordinance to run the mining in the state. We expect a new law in this regard after the new government assumes office soon after the Lok Sabha elections,” the source said.

However, the Goa Mining Peoples Front (GMPF) believes the solution in this issue is unlikely soon, though the Goa government promised to find a way for early resumption of mining in the state.

“Early this week, the state cabinet headed by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has assured us that the government will find a solution to the mining crisis in the state, but we are still unsure about it,” Puti Gaonkar, President, GMPF, told Financial Chronicle on Wednesday.

When asked about the GMPF’s future course of action, Gaonkar, however, said, “We have mounted pressure on the government to run mining. That is why we are holding a protest against the closure of mines this month, on February 26, and the whole mining belt will be closed on that day.”

In 2018, the Supreme Court had cancelled 88 iron ore licences in Goa wherein these leaseholders were told to stop operations by March 16. Since then, the government had mulled multiple options, including amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDRA) to enable extension of leases to mines but nothing has happened so far.

With the ongoing crisis in the state, an estimated over 3,00,000 people —including truckers, barge owners, thousands of labourers, besides mining companies — are affected, either directly or indirectly.

“It is not just about iron ore mining in Goa, but it’s all about sustainability of the whole mining and value addition ecosystem in the state. From drinking water to education or from sports to mid-day meals, the mining companies did a world of good to the people,” said Gaonkar.

Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hinted at “judicial solutions” to find a way out of the impasse. Modi, who was addressing state BJP workers through video conference, said he was aware of the mining crisis and its effect on those dependent on the sector.

“The people working in the (state’s) mining sector are worried and it is natural for them to feel this way. We will work out whatever judicial solutions there are for the problem,” Modi had said on January 19.

The Centre effectively has about three weeks to promulgate an ordinance before the Lok Sabha elections are notified.