Goa to auction ore dumps from govt land

June 29, 2012 11:22

Goa government will auction the low grade ore piled up in its properties over last several decades causing environmental hazards, a senior official said on Friday.

The new Goa Minerals (Prevention of Illegal Mining Transportation and Storage) Rules, 2012 will amend the laws to empower state government to sell the iron ore dumps, which are usually of low grade, lying in the government-owned lands.

Principal Secretary (Mines) R K Verma confirmed that the policy would be framed by mid-July but refused to divulge the details.

He said the draft policy would be put up for public scrutiny before it takes final shape.

The new rules, which will be ready within three weeks, will repeal and replace the 2004 rules, sources said.

The heaps of ore are sometimes washed away during rains thereby polluting the nearby water bodies, a senior official said.

Goa has 750 million metric tonnes of ore in the form of rejects scattered across the state.

The ore, which had no buyers, has suddenly got the value after demand from China increased since 2005.

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