The first ever advance e-auction, held on March 8, witnessed bidding for close to half a million tonnes of iron ore by large steel mills

Advance e-auction for NMDC's iron ore has started off on a promising note with steel mills lapping up the entire lot of iron ore fines put on auction last month. With the new system coming into place, the public sector miner has increased production of iron ore at two of its mines in Bellary district, giving much needed relief to steel mills.

Illegal mining has been the scourge of Goa just as is the case with Karnataka.

Steel mills still operating at 50% capacity due to shortage in supply of iron ore

Restoration of normalcy in supply of iron ore to steel mills in and around Karnataka might take more time if the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) accepts the request for reclassification of mines. Currently, CEC, following the Supreme Court's direction, is looking into the appeal of the main petitioner, Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), in the public interest litigation against illegal mining, for reclassification of mining leases based on the extent of several illegalities committed by them.

PANJIM: “I am very clear. I am the mining minister. Nothing starts until I sign the file.” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said Wednesday, while asserting his right to govern and re-start mining in the state.

Parrikar said that mining in the state would not start until an expert committee which he proposed to appoint, to look into all aspects of mining activities, comes out with a plan on how to go about the activity.

Samaj Parivartan Samudaya (SPS), the non-governmental organisation fighting legal battle against illegal mining, on Wednesday opposed before the Supreme Court the recommendation made by the Central

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday warned that any delay in resumption of mining banned by a Supreme Court order could result in violence and suicide.

Parrikar also claimed that the the water level of rivers in the state has started dipping in an unexpected fall out of halt in mining activity. The Chief Minister said his government has limited options at its disposal in the event of a "flare-up" as people are agitated over the loss of livelihood, following an interim ban on mining imposed by Supreme Court four months ago.

PANJIM: Tearing into the State government’s affidavit (reply), Goa Foundation in its rejoinder, has argued that if the original lessee cannot mine the ore from the mine, then it should be returned to the state instead of being allowed to be mined by a raising contractor.

Iron ore resource is a public asset. In the act of mining, the said resource is depleted for profits which accrue to the private party to whom the asset is leased,” says the rejoinder, pointing out that the government is only the custodian of that asset, and therefore duty bound to ensure that the public asset is leased to private parties at the highest possible price.

The Central Empowered Committee (CEC) on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to extend its previous order on opening 18 mining leases in Karnataka to also allow extraction of iron ore in all category 'A' and category 'B' mines.

"The CEC is of the view that by and large substantial progress has been made on reclamation and rehabilitation works in 'A' and 'B' category of mines… perhaps the time has come to extend the order on all mines in both categories," senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing as amicus curiae, told a Forest Bench led by Justice Aftab Alam.

Supreme Court-appointed CEC recommends new system in order to facilitate speedy supply of iron ore to steel mills

In an attempt to speed up supply of iron ore to steel mills, the central empowered committee (CEC) has decided to conduct advance e-auction of iron ore produced by state-run miner NMDC Ltd. The CEC, in consultation with company officials, has finalised a detailed structure for advance e-auction, which will come into effect from March 8.

Even as the mining activity remains suspended due to the Supreme Court order, the Goa Government has begun the process to collect stamp duty by renewing the mining leases in areas not falling under forest cover.

This is to make up for the financial losses caused to the state exchequer in the absence of royalty. Directorate of Mines and Geology has issued notices to around seven mining lease holders, which will give a revenue of Rs 161 crore to the state treasury in the form of stamp duty. The notices maintain that their leases which were supposed to be renewed in 2007, would now be renewed for 20 years till 2027.