nvkhkhr
Prime VIP
Goa: Despite the Goa Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has refused to adopt the report on illegal mining in the state, which indicts the Chief Minister, the report has been submitted to Speaker Pratapsingh Rane on Wednesday.
Some Congress MLA's, who are members of the PAC, have refused to sign the report calling it biased.
The Speaker will decide if the PAC report will be tabled in the Assembly, and in case tabling of the report is needed, when it will be tabled.
Reacting on the PAC report, Leader of the Opposition and BJP leader Manohar Parikar said, "All allegations can be documented. Detailed investigation has to be done by an investigating agency. The situation in Goa is worse than that in Bellary. In karnataka it is confined to one district while in Goa it is spread in 4 talukas."
After the PAC report indicted the mining department, the forest department and the police department along with Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who holds the mining portfolio, the Chief Minister is under pressure to resign.
The report claims that 35 per cent of mining taking place in the state is illegal and the royalty loss has been estimated at Rs 200 crore.
The report has also raised a question mark on the difference between the quantity of ore being extracted and exported, hinting that there is surplus ore coming from outside.
The PAC report estimates the scam at Rs 4000 crore and recommended transfer of officers from Sanguem, Quepem and talukkas, which are mining areas, as preventive measure. It also asked for an Expert committee to review all environment clearances granted to mining projects in these areas.
The report has also asked for immediate shutdown of mines in wildlife sanctuaries.
The Congress on Tuesday submitted the report to its Chief Sonia Gandhi.
It is being seen as Kamat's BS Yeddyurappa moment. Faced with charges that several Congress ministers and MLAs were involved in this scam of over-mining and under-reporting, Kamat has been under pressure to resign.
But on the eve of the tabling of the PAC report on illegal mining, Kamat found support from Congress legislators in the PAC who refused to sign the report, believed to be indicting the state government.
According to sources, the 150-page draft report indicts top functionaries of the Goa government. Based on documents provided by the state's own mining department, the report concludes that of the 54 million tonnes iron ore exported, 18 to 20 million were done so illegally in the last one year. At least 24 mines are operating in and around protected areas, in clear violation of environmental norms.
An embattled Congress has sent its Goa in charge to probe the charges. But sources say there is unlikely to be a change of guard.
The Karnataka Lokayukta in its report had called it the Republic of Bellary to describe the impunity with which the mining mafia operated in that state. In the picturesque Panaji the Kamat government is being accused of a scam of similar proportions. All eyes are now on the Shah commission probing the illegalities. The Opposition at least is convinced that Kamat is treading on a minefield.
Some Congress MLA's, who are members of the PAC, have refused to sign the report calling it biased.
The Speaker will decide if the PAC report will be tabled in the Assembly, and in case tabling of the report is needed, when it will be tabled.
Reacting on the PAC report, Leader of the Opposition and BJP leader Manohar Parikar said, "All allegations can be documented. Detailed investigation has to be done by an investigating agency. The situation in Goa is worse than that in Bellary. In karnataka it is confined to one district while in Goa it is spread in 4 talukas."
After the PAC report indicted the mining department, the forest department and the police department along with Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who holds the mining portfolio, the Chief Minister is under pressure to resign.
The report claims that 35 per cent of mining taking place in the state is illegal and the royalty loss has been estimated at Rs 200 crore.
The report has also raised a question mark on the difference between the quantity of ore being extracted and exported, hinting that there is surplus ore coming from outside.
The PAC report estimates the scam at Rs 4000 crore and recommended transfer of officers from Sanguem, Quepem and talukkas, which are mining areas, as preventive measure. It also asked for an Expert committee to review all environment clearances granted to mining projects in these areas.
The report has also asked for immediate shutdown of mines in wildlife sanctuaries.
The Congress on Tuesday submitted the report to its Chief Sonia Gandhi.
It is being seen as Kamat's BS Yeddyurappa moment. Faced with charges that several Congress ministers and MLAs were involved in this scam of over-mining and under-reporting, Kamat has been under pressure to resign.
But on the eve of the tabling of the PAC report on illegal mining, Kamat found support from Congress legislators in the PAC who refused to sign the report, believed to be indicting the state government.
According to sources, the 150-page draft report indicts top functionaries of the Goa government. Based on documents provided by the state's own mining department, the report concludes that of the 54 million tonnes iron ore exported, 18 to 20 million were done so illegally in the last one year. At least 24 mines are operating in and around protected areas, in clear violation of environmental norms.
An embattled Congress has sent its Goa in charge to probe the charges. But sources say there is unlikely to be a change of guard.
The Karnataka Lokayukta in its report had called it the Republic of Bellary to describe the impunity with which the mining mafia operated in that state. In the picturesque Panaji the Kamat government is being accused of a scam of similar proportions. All eyes are now on the Shah commission probing the illegalities. The Opposition at least is convinced that Kamat is treading on a minefield.
