Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured a delegation of Goa MPs, legislators from ruling party and representatives of the Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) that the Central government would try to find solution to the mining impasse within the “four corners of the law”. Talking to The Hindu after a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday, South Goa BJP MP Narendra Sawaikar, who was part of the delegation, said that no time-frame for a solution has been arrived at. Asked if the GMPF representatives were satisfied with the discussion, Mr. Sawaikar said, “The leaders of GMFP must have come with an expectation of a sure promise of restarting mining. But the Prime Minister told them the issue has to be resolved by remaining within four corners of the law and within the framework of the apex court judgement.”The mining ban has been agitating a large number of mining dependants, who directly or indirectly lost their livelihoods since the Supreme Court banned extraction and transportation of iron ore from 88 mining leases from February last year, for legal infirmities in the second renewal of leases. The State government has been asked by the SC to re-issue mining leases using appropriate procedures.

Source: The Hindu February 06, 2019 18:47 UTC