Supreme Court order on Goa mining to result in job losses

KOLKATA: A group of mining professionals has written to President Pranab Mukherjee saying that the Supreme Court order on mining in Goa, in which most operations after November 2007 have been declared illegal, will hit mineral-based industries and lead to job losses.

“The SC order dated April 21, 2014 related to mining in Goa has held all mining in Goa illegal since November 2007 by pointing out deficiencies in rules framed under the MMDR (Mines & Minerals Development & Regulation) Act. These rules have been followed for the past 66 years by all states and mines in the interest of safety, conservation, mineral development and protection of the environment,” Arijit Bagchi, president of the Mining Engineers’ Association of India ( MEAI), has said in the letter dated May 10. ET has seen a copy of the letter.

The MEAI has said there are several mines in the country operating under deemed renewal beyond the first renewal.

“According to the SC order, it becomes mandatory on part of the state governments to issue direction to all such mine owners to stop excavation immediately and declare them illegal and realise through eauction the entire sale value of the inventory of the excavated ore lying in mines, stockyards, jetties and ports. This will lead to utter chaos,” the letter says.

It points out that in Goa and other places where mining was halted, it may take five to seven years to get necessary approvals, including fresh leases and environment clearance, for work to restart.