Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party wants resumption of mining in Goa

PANAJI: A day after Supreme Court ordered a ban on extraction and transportation of ore in Goa, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, an alliance partner of the Manohar Parrikar-led BJP government, has demanded immediate resumption of mining activity in the state.

MGP President Dipak Dhavlikar told reporters that the closure of mining activity has impacted almost three lakh people who are dependent on it.

The party said that the Supreme Court order was "unwarranted" as the state government has already began steps to curb illegal mining in the state.

Dhavlikar blamed NGOs for unnecessarily taking up the issue in Supreme court.

"NGOs should have discussed the issue with the state government and worked out the solution for their grievances. There was no need to approach the Supreme Court," he said.

He alleged that the move was an attempt to delay start of mining activity in the state.

Yesterday, mining operations in all the 90 mines in Goa were were ordered to be halted by the Supreme Court on the basis of the Justice M B Shah Commission report which estimated a whopping Rs 35,000 crore loss to the exchequer due to illegal mining in the last 12 years.

An apex court-appointed centrally empowered committee will investigate into illegal mining and submit its preliminary report within four weeks.