Nitin Gadkari

Goan MLAs on Monday met Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari in the national capital to urge the central government to find ways and means to resume mining in the coastal state. The Supreme Court has directed that all mining activity in Goa should stop after March 15 and the leases issued afresh. In a memorandum to the central minister, the multi-party delegation including Public Works Department Minister Sudin Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane (BJP), Speaker Pramod Sawant, Congress MLA Nilkanth Halarnkar, have sought that the mining leases in Goa should be renewed for 20 years, instead of being issued afresh.