Panaji, July 15 Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, here on Wednesday, expressed the hope the Supreme Court would take into account the state as well as the nation's financial situation while hearing a petition that seeks reassessment of the apex court's 2018 order, which had deemed the processes that facilitated renewal of Goa's 88 mining leases as irregular.
"The mining matter is scheduled to come up in court on Thursday. We are hopeful to get justice," Sawant said.
The court in 2018 had scrapped 88 operational mining leases, citing irregularities in renewal processes. When the mining industry was at its peak, extraction, trade and export accounted for 30 per cent of Goa's gross domestic product (GDP).
"Looking at the country and the state's financial condition, we want the Supreme Court to allow resumption of mining. Goa has low grade iron ore, which can only be exported. We are hopeful," the Chief Minister said.
Two petitions are pending before the Supreme Court. One is a special leave petition, filed by a mining firm, that has sought extension of the mining lease period, thereby doing away the need for renewal of its mining leases.
The other has been filed by the state government, urging the apex court to reassess its 2018 order that had put the brakes on the state's mining industry.
( With inputs from IANS )