Panaji (Goa)  

The Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC)  that met today for the very first time resolved to recommend to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar that government should file a review petition in the Supreme Court in the matter related to mining lease renewals.

Supreme Court has quashed second renewals of 88 leases and has stopped operation of mining activities from March 16.

CAC comprises of Minister Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar (MGP), Minister Francis D’Souza (BJP) and Minister Vijay Sardessai (Goa Forward Party).

Post meeting, Dhavalikar said that the CAC is of the view that State should go for a review petition in SC after seeking legal opinion either from Attorney General of India or a person of that rank.

“Chief Minister will take final decision in the matter,” he said.

Minister said that committees headed by MLAs from mining belt will be formed to assess the loss to every family dependent on the business.  

When asked, CAC member Sardessai ruled out possibility of law and order situation in the State post ban from March 16, stating that the government is with the people.

“From March 16, State will be going to one of the biggest crisis. It is not Goa government or central government made problem but the situation has arise due to Supreme Court verdict. We accept the people to cooperate as it is not a State made problem,” he said.  

He said that the review petition will give some respite to the State and the people dependent on the business. “Attorney general or someone of his rank needs to convince to SC that the implementation of the order cannot happen in one go and the economic crisis that are going to arise also needs to be put on record,” Sardessai said.