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Goa seeks NITI Aayog help in facilitating sale of ore dumps
Chief minister Pramod Sawant said that he has ‘suggested’ to the NITI Aayog during a recent meeting that Goa needs help to solve the ‘issue’ of mining dumps lying across the state
In a bid to facilitate the mining of ore dumps, the Goa government has approached the NITI Aayog to help set up a framework to auction the ore.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant told reporters that he has ‘suggested’ to the NITI Aayog during a recent meeting chaired by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Saraswat that Goa needs help to solve the ‘issue’ of mining dumps lying across the state.
“I highlighted the issue of mining dumps lying across the state on account of which our land is remaining idle. The NITI Aayog has said they will take up the case,” Sawant said.
The state government had earlier formulated a policy to allow the sale of ore dumps that was approved by the state Cabinet, but it hasn’t been operationalised since the matter is pending before the Supreme Court.
“We have filed an application before the Supreme Court in order to expedite the matter. The NITI Aayog too said that they will be filing an application for a decision,” Sawant added.
The Supreme Court in 2014 banned the sale of ore from dumps and instead ordered that an expert committee that was constituted submit its report on how the mining dumps in the state of Goa should be dealt with, which was to be placed before the Court for further consideration. A final decision from the Supreme Court is still awaited.
Goa has several mining dumps scattered around the countryside made up of topsoil and other low grade mud that was rejected by miners who, back then, were only interested in the higher grade ore that was located deeper underneath the opencast pits. Tons of this material was dumped often outside the notified lease on government, community and private lands without any permissions.
With the price of iron ore rising substantially since then and even lower grade ore now being of value, the industry has been demanding that they be allowed to dig through the old dumps and export what they can.
The Goa Foundation, an Environmental NGO has said that until the Supreme Court finally decides the matter, any such movement of dumped ore would be illegal.
“The issue of the disposition of the dumps is still pending before the Supreme Court of India. Allowing these dumps to be carted away without auctions, merely for the payment of royalty, would violate Article 14, Right to Equality,” it said.
