Study on to fix market price of ore dumps: CM
Stating that the Goa mining ore dump policy is in place and the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) has been taken on board to study the dump profile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday told the state legislative assembly that the government is now undertaking a study. of the actual market price of the ore dumps lying in the areas of the erstwhile mining leaseholders.
“Once their price is fixed within a month, we will be able to decide about the auctioning of these dumps,” he said, adding that the decision on the dumps lying in the government as well as comunidad lands would be taken within next two months. .
Sawant, who holds the mining and geology portfolio, said the Geological Survey of India (GSI) would also help his government in this exercise.
“Presently, we have an estimated dump ore of 700 million tonnes,” he noted.
Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai brought to the notice of the House that only 123 million tonne of these total dumps carry ore in it, and that too is a low grade ore.
The Chief Minister stated that the low grade ore is in great demand today, and if these dumps are auctioned then lakhs of sq m of land could be reused, probably for agriculture.
“In addition, if this low grade iron ore is exported then the government will be able to earn lot of royalty towards the same,” he added.
It was also informed that the IBM will carry out the dump profile and present a study report, which would facilitate the government in the dump auction.
The Chief Minister also said there are 180 locations around the state where the mining dumps are located, and starting auction of these dumps would start economic activities in the mining belts.
Congress MLA Altone D’Costa said the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power by alleging Rs 35,000 crore worth mining scam in Goa, while the actual amount to be recovered by the government towards mining activities was only around Rs 350 crore.
He also said that out of this amount, only Rs 190 crore has been recovered by the government till date.
