Shah positive about resumption of mining industry in Goa: CM

Panaji, Nov 29 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah is very much positive about the possibility of resumption of the mining industry in Goa, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Sunday, after his return from the national capital, where he had met top Union Ministers as well as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to discuss the mining deadlock.

Speaking to reporters outside the Dabolim international airport, Sawant also ruled out a second lockdown in the state, urging people to maintain social distancing norms and wearing of masks.

"Amit Shah is very much positive. He said people of Goa should be helped by resuming mining at the earliest so that the economy is revived. Another meeting with him is scheduled this week. I am positive a solution will be found," the CM told reporters.

During his two-day visit to the national capital, Sawant also met Union Minister for Mines Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Petroleum Dharmendra Pradhan as well as Tushar Mehta to discuss ways and means to restart the mining sector in Goa.

Full fledged ore extraction in Goa has been stopped, after the Supreme Court in 2018, found glaring irregularities in the process adopted to renew 88 mining leases.

While the state government has already filed a review petition in the Apex court requesting to relook its earlier order, ruling governments BJP both in Goa as well as at the Centre, are also working towards finding a "legislative cure" which would enable the mining industry to restart.

"We had a detailed discussion on the matter on both aspects, the legislative cure as well as our petition which has been filed in the Supreme Court," Sawant added.