News and Events

Indo Asian News Service reported that iron ore generated from Goa's 90 plus mines should be auctioned and extraction be brought down from over 50 million tonnes to 10 million tonnes. An online petition addressed to Chief Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar demanded.

 

 The petition, seeking the protection of the state's resources and nationalization, went online on www.change.org Monday morning, a few days after the Justice MB Shah Commission alleged that there was a INR 35,000 crore illegal mining scam in Goa.

 

 The online petition states that "These assets should be auctioned for limited periods to maximize value to the state, after geological data is collected by the state.”

 

 The petition was initiated by an online group Goa Speaks. It has demanded that all mines within five kilometres of wildlife sanctuaries be closed, as also those located close to the catchment area of the Selaulim dam, which provides water to nearly half of Goa's population of 1.4 million.

 

 The petition states that "Government will compute the costs of damage done to the environment of Goa and demand the necessary compensation from the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association and its members.”

 

 The GMOEA is an association of ore exporters from Goa and accounts for a majority of the ore extracting units in the state.