This mining season is as good as lost

Panaji: Despite the central export duty on low grade iron ore being brought down to zero percent and a decrease in 90 percent of state taxes, with barely a month to go before the monsoon, this mining season is as good as lost for mining companies.
Mining companies said that full-fledged mining operations will commence from the next season. Speaking to STOI, Goa mineral ore exporters association (GMOEA), the main trading body of mine owners' president Shivanand Salgaocar said mining companies have started mining activities and would face teething problems as it would restart after a long time.
"Early next week, the mining activities will pick up, but, actual full-fledged mining activities will start in Goa by next October," Salgaocar said.He also said that there are not enough trucks available to transport the ore from mining pits to jetties.
Glen Kalavampara, secretary, GMOEA told STOI that they are getting limited buyers for below 58 grade iron ore which is exempted from export duty. "We are not saying that there are no buyers from below 58 grade and most of the buyers are from Asian countries," he said, adding further that mining companies in Goa are trying to revive older buyers.
Aniruddha N Joshi, head (corporate affairs), Vedanta limited, said that double taxation in the form of Goa iron ore permanent fund and district development foundation fund is killing the mining industry. He also said that the Supreme Court must "remove" the Goa iron ore permanent fund in the interest of the mining industry.
"In the next two months (April and May), I think that around five million tonnes or iron ore extraction would take place in the state," said Joshi. While major mining companies have started the ground work to resume fresh extraction of iron ore, one more reason for delay in mining activities is lifting of e-auction. GMOEA has written a letter to the government to remove the e-auction iron ore which is creating a hindrance for fresh excavation.
Out of 15 million tonnes of iron ore, eight million tonnes of iron ore have been e-auctioned, but, only four million tonnes are being lifted or exported from the mining sites. "Rest is still lying at the mines," Kalavampara said.
Goa state pollution control board (GSPCB) has granted a 'consent to operate' under Air and Water Acts to 60 mining leases with the total iron ore extraction limit of 15 million tonnes out of 20 million tonnes cap by the apex court.
With the resumption of mining activities, state government is expecting to collect revenue of around 480 crore from the mining industry this financial year.
The state government has renewed 89 mining leases, Vedanta was the first company to export iron ore to China in October 2015. Then, after many more mining companies exported iron ore, but, most of the export was done of e-auction iron ore. Dispute between the all Goa truck owners association and mining companies over the iron ore transportation rate had delayed the resumption of mining activities. Initially, when mining companies wanted to export the iron ore, iron ore prices in the internal market had crashed further, delaying the mining activities in the state.