Mining in Goa to resume: CM

Panaji, March 11 (IANS) The multi-billion mining sector in Goa, which has been non-functional for more than two-and-half years, will start again in a matter of a few days, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said on Wednesday.

"It won't be a matter of months now, or weeks, but it will be a matter of few days wherein mining will commence," Parsekar told the state's industry captains.

Speaking at the annual day of the Goa chapter of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Parsekar also said that mining was the lifeline of the state's economy and managing the state's finances, in view of the closure of the mining industry, was challenging.

"Managing a state with total closure of mining was a major challenge. It is indeed a challenge, we are facing it for more than two years. Mining was the lifeline of the state. We have taken all possible steps to work on the situation," Parsekar said.

Mining in Goa was stopped by the state and central governments in 2012 following a Rs.35,000 crore illegal mining scam which was unearthed by a judicial commission appointed by the union ministry, before the Supreme Court banned all mining activity in the same year.

The ban was eventually lifted last year, but mining could not be restarted because of pending green clearances.

The Goa government has now sent an interim proposal to the union Ministry for Environment and Forests for quick resumption of mining in Goa, which Parsekar claimed was the lifeline of the state's economy.