TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Even as he expressed confidence that the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre would finish its full term, Congress MP Francisco Sardinha today said that he wanted officials from both the Centre and State to be punished for allowing illegal mining to take place in the State, but not ministers. He also wanted the State government to establish who was responsible for illegal mining, and recover the money from them.
“This can be used for the development of the State,” he said, arguing, “It is high time that the state government punish all those who have done illegal mining.”
Stating that the Central government or any ministers, including of the state have nothing to do with illegal mining he blamed officials for not keeping an eye on the mining activities in the state.
“They are supposed to go and see,” he said referring to the officials.
When asked about the mentions in the Justice M B Shah committee report of ministers, he said that the report was “not a judgment but a fact finding one,” he said, adding, “I don’t fully agree with the report.”
