It is surprising that the Congress party seems to be infected with the virus of wisdom only when they are out of power. One really needs to ask them why they are today demanding annual mining leases. Just as why Eduardo Faleiro realized the danger of Russian and Israeli tourists only now.
A larger issues. One of my friends in the mining industry tells me that the annual lease renewal will only encourage fly-by-night operators who are the real culprits of the mess that we see today. He says that mining plans are a long-term one, since it is necessary to mix the good quality ore with lesser quality so as to extend the life of the mines. If only good quality ore is produced, then the lesser quality will not have a market tomorrow. Also, the investment in mining cannot be recovered in one year. Does anyone know whether there is any country which lets out mining leases only for one year? Best regards, U. G. Barad