Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday ruled out the possibility of clamping a ban on exports of iron ore from the state.
"In Goa, the exports are hallmark of the mining industry.
The recommendations by the MB Shah Commission to ban the
exports cannot be accepted," Parrikar told reporters here.
The chief Minister was reacting to the reported
recommendations of Justice Commission which investigated into
the illegal mining activity in Goa and recommended a ban on
the exports.
The Commission has submitted its interim report to the
Union Mines Ministry in Delhi on Thursday.
Parrikar said "Goa cannot survive if exports of iron ore
are banned from the state. The Shah Commission members have
wrongly interpreted Goa's situation, probably because the
members on the Commission were not Goans."
"Mining is a 60-year old business in the state," the
Chief Minister said adding not even one kilogram of iron ore
from Goa can be converted into steel because it is of low
grade.
"Even setting up of steel industry is not suitable in
the state due to logistic issues," he said, adding the legal
mining industry would be provided all the required protection
in the state.
The state's mining industry has been on tenterhooks after
the Shah Commission has submitted its report.
Goa Mineral Ore Exporters' Association, an umbrella
orgnisation of the exporters, has said they are ready to
clarify all the issues raised in the Commission's report.
GMOEA Secretary Glenn Kalavampara said the issues are
mostly technical.
"The Mines Ministry is in the know of the ground-level
situation. But even if it wants clarifications, we are ready
to provide," Kalavampara said, adding the Association had
asked for an audience with the Shah Commission but it was
not given till the end.
PTI
First Published: Friday, March 16, 2012, 22:29