Mining may resume in Goa in October

Panaji: Mining may resume in Goa in October after a gap of nearly three years, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told the legislative assembly on Wednesday.

"The state government lifted the temporary ban on iron and manganese ore mining in the state on January 15, 2015. Since all assistance is given by the state government, mining might resume from October, 2015," Parsekar said in a written reply.

Mining in Goa was stopped both by the state and the central governments in 2012 following a Rs.35,000 crore illegal mining scam which was unearthed by a judicial commission appointed by the union mines ministry.

The Supreme Court banned all mining activity in the same year.

The ban was lifted last year, but mining still could not restart because of pending green clearances.

(IANS)