PANJIM: In a little noticed move, the addition of just two paragraphs in The Indian Stamp Goa Amendment Act 2012 ~ moved as an amendment on the last day of the recently ended Monsoon Session of the

Nearly 12 mines have to get various statutory approvals, including reclamation plan

The Supreme Court has given a nod to 18 iron ore mines to resume operations in Karnataka, but only one of them fulfills the conditions required to start the operations. As many as 12 mines have to get various statutory approvals, including rehabilitation and reclamation plan, forest and environment clearances and permission from the Departments of Mines at the State and the Centre. The process could take at least a month and in some cases one year, depending on the licences required to resume mining.

The steel mills might have to wait for six months at least as 12 of the 18 mining leases still need to secure statutory nods

The removal of ban on iron ore mining in Karnataka as directed by the Supreme Court on Monday is unlikely to bring immediate relief to the ore-starved steel industry. The steel mills might have to wait for up to six months at least to normalise their operations as 12 of the 18 mining leases in Category A still need to secure several statutory approvals before starting their productions.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday filed five FIRs with regards to discrepancies in coal blocks allocation.

After a ban of more than a year, the Supreme Court on Monday allowed iron ore extraction on 18 leases in Karnataka but warned that any violation of norms could result in a revocation of the permiss

Had written to ministry in Nov 2011 to cancel blocks if cos fail to meet output deadlines

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday rejected the Opposition demand for cancellation of coal blocks that have come under the CAG scrutiny, saying the government had to hear out the allottees and could not enforce cancellation by diktat.

“A fair procedure has to be followed and this is already under way,” he said. The final week of the monsoon session of Parliament started with the Opposition closing ranks over its demand that the government forthwith cancel allocation of coal blocks. The BJP, which until two days ago was insistent on the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation, aligned itself with the rest of the Opposition, and said it would return to the House if the government cancelled all 142 allocations made by it since taking office in 2004.

Government on Monday ruled out cancellation of any coal block allocation till the inter- ministerial group (IMG), constituted to review the issue, submits its report.

“We have constituted the IMG, which is reviewing 58 coal blocks. It has been asked to submit its report in a time-bound manner and latest by September 15. After that we will decide,” Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal told reporters. He added that “the (number of) coal blocks which have been reviewed and issued show-cause notices so far is 58. Of these 58, 20 are such which have been reviewed by the CAG”.

Govt has already issued notices to 58 blocks: 33 allotted to govt firms & 25 to pvt entities

Amid the raging row over coal block allocation, as many as 90 mines face the threat of de-allocation as these are under scanner for non-production. Of these, 58 coal blocks are in the immediate focus with an Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) set to decide their fate today. The government has already issued de-allocation notices to these 58 blocks - 33 allotted to government firms and 25 to private entities.

MARGAO: Asserting that his government has no plans to issue new mining leases, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday said he has not put a cap on mining activity and left it for the people to take a call on the issue.

“As far as our policy is concerned, no new leases should be given for mining. But, I also believe that all natural resources should be auctioned. The government has not decided to give any new mining lease. When the policy is in place and if there is a proposal for new mining leases, they will be definitely auctioned,” he said.