PANAJI
Union Mines Secretary Balvinder Kumar has assured that the central government would solve several issues faced by the mining companies in Goa, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told media persons emerging from a Mining Policy Round Table organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry at a city hotel on Saturday.
Parsekar who had addressed the round table, said that the secretary Balvindar Kumar, had promised a “positive response” to a demand that the issue of dumping ore outside the lease be taken care of.
“The Union Mines Secretary has given a positive response to all the issues raised by the mine owners at the meeting, especially that of dumps. The onus is now on the mine leaseholders to start their mining operations,” Parsekar said.
Sources present in the meeting said that the Union Secretary has promised to notify a set of rules that will make clear several ambiguities that persist on account of a new Mines and Minerals Development Act, enacted last year as well as several Supreme Court judgements in the matter of mines.
Of importance to the Goa mining lobby was the clause that prohibited dumping of rejects outside the lease area, which the mine leaseholders said was prohibitive and prevented the restart of fresh mining operations since mining leases in Goa are small in area. Present for the meeting was Chief Secretary R K Srivastava, Director General, FICCI Dr Arbind Prasad and Honorary Secretary, Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association, Ambar A Timblo.
