THERE’S STILL A LOT TO CLEAN UP BEFORE MINING STARTS

The latest High Court ruling that successful bidders for Goa’s iron ore mining blocks will have to obtain fresh environmental clearances (ECs), has given big jolt to the government’s plan to resume iron ore mining activities this year, as each of the e-auctioned mining blocks will have to opt for requisite permissions, including Environment Clearance (EC), and it will take at least three years for fresh ore extraction to take place.

The government was confident of commencing mining operations at three blocks of the nine e auctioned- Advalpale-Tivim, Cudnem-Cormolem, and Tivim-Pirna Mineral Blocks as these three leases were categorized under Section 8B of Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act 1957, which speaks about the transfer of statutory clearances vested with the previous lessee including EC.

The High Court, however, directed the successful bidders to obtain fresh ECs as none of the leases have valid ECs post-April 2018 after the Ministry of Environment cancelled all the leases.

The nine mineral blocks e-auctioned have 225 million metric tons of ore resource.

This is the first time that the State government is auctioning mining leases to carry out mining activities in the State. The mining activities in the State were halted in March 2018 after the Supreme Court set aside the second renewals granted to 88 leases by the Goa mines department.

Goa Foundation director Claude Alvares said that there “is no way mining could start before three years.”

“Whether it will start after three years, is also a question mark as people from the area are against restarting mining activities,” he said.

Alvares said that there is every possibility that someone will challenge the EC or EIA. “It is not going to be an easy way out for the bidders or government,” he said.

Sources at the Mines department said that all the successful bidders will have to obtain the requisite permissions to start the operations. As per the tender document, the bidder will have to first obtain clearances under Forest Conservation Act, Wildlife Protection Act, Consent to Establish from Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), before going for EC before the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

Before applying for EC, the successful bidder will have to undertake Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), Environmental Management Plan, Risk Assessment, Disaster Management Plan and other studies.

The State government has already e-auctioned nine mineral blocks-Kalay mining block in Sanguem, Bicholim-Mulgo mining block, Shirigao- Mayem mining block, Monte-de-Sirigao mining block in Bicholim, Cudnem-Cormolem Mineral Block and Cudnem- Harvalem Mineral Block, Advalpale-Thivim mineral block, Thivim-Pirna block, and Surla-Sonshi mineral block. These blocks have got around 224 million metric tons (MT) of ore resources.

O HeraldO has learned that the bidders will have to make EIA public for a period of 60 days and invite suggestions and objections. Thereafter a two-month notice for conduct of public hearing will have to be issued.

The government in January issued a Letter of Intent to four bidders. This letter of intent is valid for a period of 3 (three) years from the date of its issuance, within which time all the conditions must be fulfilled and the Mining Lease deed must be executed between the bidder and the Government of Goa.

“No Mining Lease shall be executed on the expiry of the period of 3 (three) years from the date of the letter of intent and the letter of intent shall be invalidated leading to annulment of the entire auction process. The State Government may, however, allow a further period of 2 (two) years for execution of the Mining Lease deed if the reasons for the delay were beyond the control of the Successful Bidder,” the tender document had stated.

Mine Development Production Agreement (MDPA) to be executed between State Government and Successful Bidder upon obtaining all consents, approvals, permits, and no objections from various government agencies/departments required under applicable laws for commencement of mining operations.