Goa’s efforts to restart mining after almost two years may hit a roadblock, with both the environmental lobby and miners such as Sesa Sterlite getting ready for a legal battle.

On September 22, the Supreme Court is expected take up the petition filed by lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan opposing the Goa Government’s decision to renew leases of 27 iron ore mines following a recent order by the Bombay High Court’s Goa bench.

“We have filed a special leave petition in this matter to block the move (of the Goa Government to renew leases of these mines). The petition is expected to be heard on September 22,” Bhushan told BusinessLine .

Of the 27 mines up for lease renewal, nine belong to Anil Agarwal’s Sesa Sterlite. “We will respond to the petition. We are very clear that we have done no wrong and that there is no theft. Why should we be penalised? ” asked AN Joshi, Vice-President, Sesa Sterlite, and member of interim management committee of the company’s iron ore business.

The Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court had ordered the State to renew 27 mining leases where stamp duty had been paid. Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had recently said the finer points of Goa’s Mineral Act would be notified on September 20. He had informed the State assembly that 27 mining leases would be signed between September 30 and October 10 to resume mining.

Asked why the miners paid stamp duty when there was uncertainty about restart of mining activities, Joshi said: “We had followed the rules. The lease was to expire in 2007, a year prior to which applications for renewal had to be made. When the Parrikar Government came to power, they informed us that they will consider granting renewal letters. But, before things could materialise, the ban was imposed in 2012.”

The mining ban has resulted in the Goa Government losing about ₹3,500-4,000 crore in revenues in the past two years. Due to missing out on royalty alone, Goa has lost about ₹1,900 crore since 2012.

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