Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that mining in Goa could resume within three months given that the Supreme Court is more aware of the ‘harsh’ ground realities.
Addressing a meeting of bankers who are worried about the lack of repayment of loans especially taken by those dependent on the mining sector, Parrikar said the end was in sight. “We expect mining to start in two to three months. The Supreme Court is aware of the difficulties and has agreed to hear it (a petition against illegal mining in Goa) on a day-to-day basis,” Parrikar said.
The Supreme Court, on whose orders mining has been stopped since September last year, has itself not made any commitments on the mining issue or that it would be heard expeditiously. The banks which face the risk of crashing owing to mounting non-performing assets, have been negotiating with the Government over the rescheduling of loans taken by those entrepreneurs involved in the mining sector.