SC allows e-auction of 11.48 MT iron ore stacks before Feb
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 11 November 2013 17:32 IST
Supreme Court today passed a separate interim order, allowing e-auction to export 11.48 MT of iron ore lying at jetties and leases without revoking its old order of 5 October last year that had banned mining activity in Goa.
If sold, it could earn around Rs 10,0000 crore, which would be deposited in the Goa state treasury, but would not be allowed to be used until the apex court gives a final judgement on the matter.
Meanwhile, Goa government today filed yet another affidavit before the bench stating that it has identified stacks of 4 MT iron ore, which is illegal and would be confiscated by the state government and sold.
The court however has not allowed touching the mining dumps or rejects lying at different places for many years.
The court today also appointed a three-member committee to monitor the verification of ore stacks, e-auction it and get the money deposited in the state treasury after sale, before 15 February next year.
The committee would thus decide when to start the activity of transportation of this ore through trucks and barges, presumably for export.
The committee consists of CEC member U V Singh, M Shaikh, a retired official of central board of direct taxes and an official to be nominated by Goa’s chief secretary, who will not be below the rank of a joint secretary.
The apex court bench however rejected the proposal of Goa government to auction the iron ore and allow appointing its own monitoring committee.
As per the information reaching here, Goa government in its affidavit has also stated that all the iron ore stacked at jetties and leases is believed to be illegal.
Today’s fresh affidavit of Goa government, which was submitted by Goa Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni, stated that the total ore stacks are 15.5 MT, out of which 4 MT is outrightly illegal.
While passing the interim order, the bench specifically stated that it is a separate order and not connected to its old order passed last year to ban the whole mining activity in Goa.
It is not known when the final judgement on the mining ban would be passed.
The apex court also declared in its order that yet another committee, comprising six members, would be appointed to decide on carrying capacity and intergenerational equity of iron ore.
This committee would ultimately decide the capping on ore extraction.
The six-member committee would include an ecologist, geologist, forester, minologist and a Goa government nominee to be appointed by the chief secretary.
The court would announce names of the committee members next Monday.
Both the committees have been directed to file an action taken report by 15 February next year.
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