Mr Shantaram Naik, Congress Rajya Sabha MP on Tuesday demanded an apology from Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for passing an order on September 10, 2012, suspending “mining operation of all the Mining Leases existing in the State of Goa, with effect from September 11, 2012 until further orders”, which eventually led to ban on mining leading to colossal loss to the State and its economy and rendering thousands of people jobless.
Mr. Naik said that the said order gave a death blow to the Goa although later on, the then Union Minister of State Jayanti Natrajan was compelled to pass another order quoting appropriate provisions of Environment Protection Act, 1986 to suspend all the environmental clearances of mines in Goa.
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“It was this confrontation that led the Supreme Court passing an order in a Public Interest Litigation, banning all mining activities in Goa” Mr. Naik said recalling the mining ban saga and the latest attempts of Chief Minister to resume the mining following outcry from mining dependents.
Mr. Naik welcomed the corrective measures announced by the Chief Minister of Goa in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Monday but wanted the latter to render an apology to the thousands of mine workers, truck owners , barge owners, traders etc., for being responsible for their plight.
Chief Minister on Monday assured the members of the Goa Legislative Assembly that the government will grant the 27 iron ore mining leases to the firms\companies who have paid stamp duty by October and exuded confidence that within 2-4 months from then the mining operations will resume.
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