Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President and Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a high-level meeting on Friday on the issue of resumption of mining in Goa, said a statement released by Goa Chief Minister Office.
The statement added that Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi will also be a part of the high-level meeting along with the Union Home Minister.
The meeting is slated to be held in the national capital at 4 PM. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will also be participating in the meeting. Sawant currently holds the mining portfolio.
Goa Chief Minister’s Office: BJP National President & Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a high-level meeting on the issue of resumption of mining in Goa, tomorrow in Delhi. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will also be participating in the meeting. (File pics) pic.twitter.com/PH11UMqJjL
— ANI (@ANI) July 11, 2019
It should be noted that the Top Court had on February 2018 quashed the lease renewals and restored the earlier position that all the mining after November 22, 2017, was illegal. The Top Court’s verdict came while hearing the bunch of petitions filed.
The state government had in 2015 renewed at least 88 licenses, all owned by those who were accused of illegal mining.
Prior to this, the Apex Court had in October 2012, based on the report of Justice MB Shah Commission, suspended all iron ore mining and transportation in the state. The Commission headed by Justice MB Shah in its inquiry found that millions of tons of ore were illegally mined.
The Commission further stated that illegal mining has caused a loss to the exchequer of around 35,000 crores. The report alleged that this was done with a conspiracy in which the state government including the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was involved.
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