Panaji (Goa): The iron ore mining industry has come to temporary halt with the end of eight-month long annual season on Wednesday. The activity will recommence in October post monsoon season.
“The official mining season, which had commenced in October, last year, has come to end from today. No activities related to mining including extraction, transportation, will be permitted during the monsoon season from June 1 to September 30,” Director Mines Prasanna Acharya told media persons.
For the concluding season- October 2016 to May 2017-around 25 million tons of fresh ore was produced, which include annual production cap of 20 million tons for the financial year ending March. State earned revenue of Rs 400 crores in form of royalty.
For the season, total 41 mining leases were operational until April 28, when Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) suspended operation of 12 mines in Sonshi village due to dust pollution. The Board declined to grant Consent to operate to these 12 mines after they failed to adhere to the conditions laid down in the consent related to environmental pollution.
As per the information available from DMG, for the season 2015-16 (which commenced only in November), total 33 mining leases resumed operation which extracted fresh ore of 7.30 million tons. State earned revenue of Rs 43 crores in form of royalty.
As far as the e-auction of stacked ore is concerned, it did not received good response. For the season, DMG conducted only three auctions and earned revenue of Rs 14.50 crores. So far, DMG has conducted 21 e-auctions had has sold over 12 million tons of ore. There is another three million tons of ore stacked at various site, awaiting e-auction.
Just as the season was about to conclude, the Union Ministry for environment and Forest (MoEF) has sought comments from the stakeholders over increase in iron ore production cap from 20 million tons to 35 or 38 million tons as proposed by the Expert Committee of the supreme Court.
Government has already pleaded before the Apex Court seeking rise in annual production cap, the request which is under consideration of the Court. The matter is expected to be heard in July.
Team TNV
