Panaji | Aug 24, 2015: The main trading body of mine owners in state, Goa mineral ore exporters association (GMOEA), on Saturday, tried to end speculation about the delay in resumption of mining operations in the state saying that major mining companies in Goa will resume work post-Ganesh Chaturthi.
The announcement comes within a few days of chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar's appeal to mining companies in Goa, on Independence Day, to restart mining activities in the interest of the state.
GMOEA said pursuant to the Supreme Court judgment of April, 2014 and the high court judgment of August 2014, both the central and state government acted and complied with the directions of both the courts.
"Post these compliances a number of the state's mineral resources companies like Vedanta Limited, V M Salgaocar Brother, Fomento Resources, Chowgule Pvt Ltd, etc, have confirmed their intent and initiated preparatory acts to begin mining related activities commencing after monsoon by October this year," Glenn Kalavampara, secretary, GMOEA said. These activities, as in the past, will gain momentum after Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, he said.
Nearly three years after iron ore mining operations came to a halt, Vedanta restarted mining activities at Codli in Sanguem taluka on August 10.
On April 30, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley had announced a reduction on the export duty on iron ore less than 58 grade to 10% from the existing 30%, so that mining activities can resume in Goa.
Recently, GMOEA had also meet Parsekar and briefed him about the number of taxes which are coming in the way for resumption of mining activities in the state and CM had assured the GMOEA delegation that he would look into the issue.
Mining in Goa came to a halt in September 2012 after then Manohar Parrikar government suspended mining operations following the Shah Commission report on illegal mining which was tabled in the Parliament. Before mining came to a halt, the state exported around 45 million tonne of iron ore.
(Source: http://goacom.com/)