the goan I network
PANAJI
The Congress Legislative Party remained inconclusive on the issue of the latest Supreme Court order on mining with partymen voicing different opinions on the issue.
While senior party leader and former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane was absolutely against an auction, Reginaldo Lourenço the party’s legislator from Curchorem said any attempts to dilute the Supreme Court judgement would create further problems.Rane, who said he has seen mining in Goa over the last 60 years, said that Goa’s current bunch of miners has built “goodwill” with buyers over the years and the same should not be disrupted. “We should not go in for an auction which will result in anyone coming and doing what they like,” Rane said.
When questioned, Reginaldo said, “My stand remains the same. Mines should be auctioned. Whatever we do has to be according to what the SC has said. Once again the state should not make the mistake of restarting mining like the BJP did the last time and put people in trouble once again. But whether you want to restrict that to Goans or foreign players can always be decided,” Lourenço said.
CLP leader Kavlekar intervened and said that the party was still arriving at a conclusion on the issue, but would definitely take up the matter in the assembly.
