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Petition urges Goa govt to take charge of mining leases; Bombay HC issues notice

The petition also said that despite the Supreme Court order, the Goa government had allowed mining companies to allow transportation of iron ore
Last Updated 11 October 2021, 15:09 IST

The Bombay High Court in Goa on Monday issued notice to the state government, following a petition filed by a green NGO, which has questioned the delay on part of the state government to take back mining leases and stacked iron ore in lease areas, despite a Supreme Court order directing the state government to take back mining leases and take charge of the already excavated ore.

The petition filed by Goa Foundation, a local green NGO, had said that the state government had disregarded the directions in a Supreme Court order in 2018, which has scrapped all 88 mining leases in the state, citing irregularities in the renewal of mining leases.

“The state of Goa has consciously ignored this direction and – in flagrant violation of the above directions – has gone out of its way to illegally encourage former lease-holders – even after 31.1.2021 – to simply continue paying royalties and transporting the minerals from lease areas. The Goa government has, in fact, taken a Cabinet decision permitting such transport of ore,” the petition filed by Goa Foundation states.

The petition also said that despite the Supreme Court order, the Goa government had allowed mining companies to allow transportation of iron ore.

“Instead, the Goa cabinet, at its meeting held to discuss various mining-related issues, accepted the unprecedented proposal of the Director of Mines to allow transportation of ore mined prior to 2007 and took a decision to permit sale and transport of minerals from mining leases despite the apex court’s direction,” the petition has said.

“As a result of the cabinet decision, large-scale movement and pilferage of ore were resumed from various lease areas, scandalising the public. Some, in fact, commenced even prior to the cabinet decision,” the Goa Foundation petition said.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had dismissed petitions filed by the state government and a private mining company seeking review of a February 2018 order of the apex court, which had scrapped all operational mining leases in the state.

All mining exploration and extraction activity in Goa has stopped following the 2018 SC order, but the government had allowed transportation of the already extracted iron ore, which the petition now has challenged.

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(Published 11 October 2021, 15:09 IST)

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