PANAJI
After the first e-auctioning of four mining blocks, the government has announced the second phase of e-auctioning five more mining blocks in April.
The mining blocks to be e-auctioned are at Advalpal Thivim, Kudnem, Thivim-Pirna, Kudnem-Karmale and Surla-Sonshi mines in North Goa.
The last date to pay the tender of Rs 5 lakh is March 17 and the bids have to be submitted by March 27.
According to Director of Mining Suresh Shanbhogue, the 88 mining leases will be divided in blocks and auctioned.
“The first four blocks have been bagged by mining companies from Goa. There is a possibility that these new five blocks could also be bagged by Goan companies. The company or agency that presents the highest bid will be awarded the blocks,” said Shanbhogue.
“After bagging the auction of the mining blocks, the company will have to seek environment clearances and consent to operate from the Goa State Pollution Control Board. After procuring these two permits, ore can be extracted at any time,” the director of mines added.
The mining blocks in the first phase had been awarded to Vedanta, Salgaocar Shipping, Bandekar Brothers and Fomento Company. The block will be given to the companies on a 50-year lease.
After initiating the e-auction of the mining blocks, the State government began receiving revenue and an amount of 0.05% has to be paid to the government, amounting to Rs 215 crore.
The process of auctioning mining blocks in the State had begun last month after a long period of complete halt in all iron ore mining activity ever since the Supreme Court verdict of 2018 abolishing all 88 operational leases of the State.
Four mining blocks -- Bicholim Block 1, Bicholim Block 2, Monte de Shirgaon and Kalay -- were eventually put up for e-auction in early December.
Several companies participated in the process and Vedanta Resources won the first ‘Bicholim Block I’ with a bid of 63.55 percent.
The ‘Bicholim Block II’ was bagged by the Salgaocar Shipping Company of the late Anil Salgaocar group, with whopping bid of 99.25 per cent.
The third block to be auctioned -- Monte de Shirgaon -- went to Rajaram N S Bandekar & Company which won it with the highest 111.28 percent.
