Goa could export max 30 MT iron ore: Parrikar
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 11 October 2013 16:56 IST
Chief minister Manohar Parrikar predicts Goa will not be able to export more than 30 million tonnes of iron ore every year, even if the capping is imposed at 45 MT as suggested by the state government.
The final decision in this regard however would be taken by the Supreme Court.
Goa government, while agreeing to the suggestion of capping the extraction, has suggested extraction of 20 MT while allowing exports of existing dumps at the rate of 25 MT per year.
“The total amount of dumps are 750 MT, which is estimated for 30 years to arrive this figure”, said Parrikar, while replying to question raised by opposition leader Pratapsing Rane.
According to him, though the percentage of iron ore has been reduced now to 45 by the Indian Bureau of Mines, the export would depend upon the demand in the market.
He predicts that the demand for low grade ore would not be the same as was in the past and thus the existing dumps would not be exported more than 10 MT every year.
The capping however is a must, said Parrikar, keeping in mind the need of future generations to come.
Parrikar, a meteorologist himself, countered Rane’s argument that the new technology may make ore and steel redundant.
“Iron ore will continue to be the main component of human life throughout”, said Parrikar confidently.
Recalling the past, Parrikar said Goa exported at the most 22 MT per year while zoomed up to 56 MT, thus creating problems like ecological destruction, pollution and all other aspects.
“Goa has a capacity to transport not more than 45 MT iron ore, thus the capping restricted”, he said.
However, he said the capping would differ from area to area, depending upon the geographical conditions.
For example, the carrying capacity of Rivona is not beyond 7 MT but it was carrying ore up to 70 MT, he observed.
The chief minister said the new mining policy has dealt with all these issues in detail.
He denied the charge of Congressman Aleixo Reginald Lourenco and said that the state government has charged only conversion fee of the land used for dumps.
The royalty on dumps would be recovered once they start exporting it, he said.
RECOVER 35,000 CORERS AND THEN RE-START MINING.