The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the federal government scientific and governance body, is seeking legal opinion on iron-ore mines in the western coastal state of Goa, shuttered since last year by court orders. A Supreme Court verdict on the mining leases of 88 iron-ore mines in Goa was cancelled and miners were directed to halt all operations effective March 15, last year. With operations stopped, IBM is in a legal quandary on the process to follow if it has to implement mandatory mine closure plans.
