Panaji (Goa) An all party delegation led by Senior Minister Sudin Dhavalikar today morning called on Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi seeking his intervention in ensuring that the iron ore mining operations continue in Goa post March 15.

The delegation, is likely to meeting Prime Minister, later during the day.

The delegation included Speaker Dr Pramod Sawant, BJP MLAs Nilesh Cabral, Vishwajit Rane and Rajesh Patnekar, Congress MLA Nilkant Halankar, MGP MLA Deepak Pawaskar, Independent MLA Prasad Gaonkar and MP Narendra Sawaikar.

Supreme Court via an order dated February 7, quashed second renewals granted to 88 iron ore mining leases and directed them to stop operations after March 15.

Government has assessed stoppage of mining activities will adversely affect revenue worth Rs 3,500crores to the State while nearly 1.5 to two lakh people will go unemployed.