Chief minister Manohar Parrikar has decided to hold meeting with officials to discuss and deliberate on the much talked Goa mining policy this month. State government has asked the ministry of environment and forest not to issue any environment clearance till the state government finalized the mining policy. ”The aim of mining policy would be to have sustainable development and to have conservation of natural resources”, said director of mines Prasanna Acharya adding that the chief minister will take a final call on mining policy.
Acharya said that the meeting will be held after June 15, 2012. Chief minister Manohar Parrikar had said that by May-end the drafting of the mining policy will be completed. And since there is no heavy mining activity from June to August, government was supposed to throw the mining policy draft open for public suggestion for 30 days. Goa exports nearly 85% of its iron ore to China, as well as accounting for 50% of India’s iron ore exports. India contributes 8% of the world’s total iron ore export, of which Goa handles half.
Goa exports iron ore to Japan, South Korea, Europe and the Middle-East. Most of Goa’s ore is exported to China. Goa has 338 mining leases out of which around 90 operational mines in Goa, which exported around 43 million tonnes last year.
Courtesy: TOI
