PANAJI
In a bid to firm up the timeline for resumption of mining operations in iron ore blocks already auctioned, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday held discussions with top bureaucrats and officials from the mining and other related departments.
Sawant, who also holds the mining portfolio, was given a lowdown by senior officials of the Department of Mines and Geology on the processes which will eventually pave the way for resumption of ore extraction.
Officials including heads of the Environment Department, Water Resources Department, Goa State Pollution Control Board among others also attended the meeting.
Emerging out of the meeting, Sawant told the media that the discussions mostly centred around the resumption of actual operations in the already auctioned mining blocks.
Sawant said, the auction process and arrangements being made for holding the auction of more blocks besides issues related to regulation and licencing of sand mining were also discussed.
Three more mining blocks “ Onda, Cuprem-Sulcorna and Codli “ were recently notified by the mines department for fresh auctions with September 24 being the last date for purchase of the tender documents as well as payment of tender fee. October 24 will be the last date for submission of the bids.
The department has already auctioned nine blocks “ Cudnem-Cormolem, Surla Sonshi, Advalpale-Tivim, Cudnem, Tivim-Pirna, Kalay in Sanguem, Bicholim-Mulgao, Shirgao-Mayem and Monte-de-Shirgao.
Meanwhile, an official who was privy to the meeting said that the issue of e-auctioning of iron ore lying outside the now lapsed lease areas was also discussed at the meeting.
“The chief minister has issued instructions to begin the survey of this ore where former mining lease holders have not paid the conversion fees so that it can be auctioned soon,” the official said.
