Rejecting a political bid to resolve the closure of iron ore mines in Goa, the Indian government has directed the Goa state government to complete the auction of the mining leases of closed mines within the next two months, a central government official said on Tuesday, March 6.
The official said that a delegation comprising representatives of all political parties active in Goa met federal ministers on Monday, March 5, requesting that the Indian government promulgate an ordinance to bypass the Supreme Court ruling that 88 iron ore and manganese mines in Goa shut down operations by March 15.
However, the federal ministers turned down any intervention in relation to the Supreme Court order or promulgation of any central ordinance and instead directed that the Goa government should hold auctions and completes the auction process within the next two months, as the only option to get the mines to resume operations within the shortest possible time frame, the official added.