HIGH OPTIMISM
Cabral says whether its passing an amendment or issuing an ordinance, the Central law ministry will take care of it
BANKING ON CONG
Cabral hoped that the Congress will influence their central leadership to back this route of resolving mining impasse
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PANAJI: Curchorem MLA, Nilesh Cabral, on Wednesday said he is optimistic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, before whom Goa's mining reality has been placed by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, will find a solution and operations restarted within three months."Although there is no firm commitment, the response of the Prime Minister and the 'Group of Ministers' handling mining to the Chief Minister and our three MPs was positive," Cabral said.
Addressing the media, Cabral said the Union law ministry has been apprised of the "peculiar issues" and they will work to find the best legal route to restart mining in Goa within three months.
Asked whether the Modi government will amend the law as demanded in the unanimous resolution passed by the Goa legilsative assembly which he (Cabral) had piloted, the legislator said whether its passing an amendment or issuing an ordinance, the Central law ministry will take care of it.
Cabral also said, he hoped that the Opposition Congress which had also supported his resolution in the legislative assembly will influence their central leadership to back this route of resolving Goa's mining impasse.
Parrikar along with the three Goa MPs -- Union Minister Shripad Naik, Narendra Savoikar and Vinay Tendulkar -- had on Tuesday separately met with the Prime Minister and the Group of Ministers on mining including Nitin Gadkari, Narendra Singh Tomar and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad. The resolution of the Goa legislative assembly, passed unanimously on Friday last, was also placed before the Central government's leadership.
The unanimous resolution of the Goa legislature requests the Centre for an amendment to the Goa, Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987, which would validate Goa's leases since 1987 instead of 1961.
The strategy relies on legal opinion that this amendment would breathe a 50-year life into the mining leases in Goa and make them valid until 2037, as per provisions of the new Central Mining law.
Cabral claimed the team from the Goa administration handling mining and the team of the Centre will meet at least once a week so as to clarify whatever issues may crop up in the Centre's pursuit in fulfilling Goa's request.
Asked whether such a team has been put in place by the Chief Minister given that he is expected to leave Goa for medical treatment in the United States on Thursday, Cabral said the CM's absence will not affect anything since he will be in touch telephonically or through video conference with the Goa administration.
"He is on record that he's only going for a check-up for one week. And, its not that he's sick. We all saw how fit he was during the Assembly session. He will be in touch with the Administration," Cabral said.
