Economic Times reported that a committee of experts constituted by the Goa government has recommended a cap on extraction of iron ore in the coastal state to 20 million tonnes to 25 million tonnes which is almost half the existing exports.

The panel headed by renowned scientist Mr Raghunath Mashelkar in their Goa Vision 2035 report submitted to the state government yesterday has recommended the cap on mining should be between 20-25 million tonnes per year, exclusive of the mining dumps.

Mining dumps are low grade ore rejects which are piled up in the mining leases and outside it, and now become marketable because of its international demand.

The Goa Golden Jubilee Development Council which was formed last year, has suggested that the cap should be imposed from 2012-2017, to be reviewed thereafter, to reduce the ecosystem and social stress in the region due to mining activity.

The document, which was presented to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar yesterday, also speaks of appointing the high powered committee on the issue of mining, comprising experts from various fields, which can advise the government on how much the cap should be.

He said that "The HPC should advice on the cap after examining evolution of mining in Goa and identifying the stress that have existed from time to time due to enhanced mining.”

Goa, India's biggest iron ore exporting state, shipped 43.5 MT ore during the last fiscal, much less compared to the 54 MT exports in the earlier financial year. This is mainly because the mining industry is rigged with several illegalities and irregularities, which has put this trade in a tight spot.

Source - Economic Times

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