In a two-pronged approach, the government of the western Indian state of Goa will frame a new iron ore mining policy and is also likely to file a review petition before India's Supreme Court regarding its order to close down mines in the state, a Goa government official said on Friday, February 23.
The official said that the Goa government will take recourse to all opportunities to get iron ore mines back into operation by the end of the current year.
The new iron ore mining policy will aim to lay down the best framework within the current legislative environment to get back into operation the 88 mines which have been ordered to be closed down by March 15 by the Supreme Court, the official said.
At the same time, the Goa government is also seeking a legal opinion on the option of filing a review petition before the Supreme Court to try to amend the court order.
The Supreme Court earlier this month ruled that a second renewal of the lease of the iron ore mines without following the auction route was illegal and directed the mines to close operations by March 15.