PANAJI
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed two petitions filed by Vedanta Ltd and Geetabala Parulekar (a leaseholder) that was filed challenging a decision of the Goa government to reject a proposal from the mining companies led by Vedanta to renew their existing leases until 2037.
The petition came before Justices D Y Chandrachud, Vikram Nath and Hima Kohli which dismissed the petition on Tuesday.
In its special leave petition, Vedanta argued that it was eligible for an extension until 2037 under the Mines and Minerals Development Act, as amended in 2035. The amendment stated that mining leases that were operational on the day the amendment was enacted would be automatically deemed to have been granted for a period of 50 years.
Goa mining companies claimed that Goa’s mining leases that were renewed by the Parrikar government and subsequently the Laxmikant Parsekar led dispensation before the amendments came into effect were in fact ‘operational’ on the date and were hence eligible for
the extension.
The order striking down the renewals as invalid was passed in 2018 and the mining companies were initially given around a month and half to organise their affair, which was subsequently extended to mean six months by the Supreme Court.
Goa Chief Minister has already announced the setting up of a mining corporation which he said would take mining forward and help in the quick resumption of the activity.
“I have not seen the order yet. I will read the order. But the government has been prepared. We have started our corporation. We will fast track the process. If necessary we will auction the mining leases to restart the mining process ,” Sawant said late on Tuesday.
With the passing of the judgement, the legal options to renew Goa’s mining leases are fast running out with the only hope now being the petition challenging the validity of the Goa Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987, that is pending before the Supreme Court.
