The mining stakeholders have demanded that the state government should immediately frame a mining policy aimed at early resumption of mining activities in the state.
Perhaps, for the first time in recent memory, mining came to a total halt in the state in September 2012, after the Shah commission submitted its report and Supreme Court issued a directive in connection with a writ petition.
“The government should draft the mining policy immediately. The process should start now as it may take time for the actual mining to start.All the clearances required for the mining activity are time-consuming,” states Atul Jadhav, President, All Goa Barge Owners Association.
He said that with the SC judgement allowing resumption of mining, all hopes are pinned on the mining policy which will trigger a further turn of events.
“Whatever chief minister wants to do, he should do it quickly and also by taking stakeholders into confidence. His policy is likely to affect all those dependent on the mining industry,” Nilkant Gawas, President, All Goa Truck Owners Association added.
The SC has allowed resumption of mining, but no steps taken have been initiated by the state government even after the order has finally come, Gawas said adding “We doubt whether government is really serious about restarting of the mining business in the state.”
