PANJIM: Announcing that he would begin criminal proceedings against those involved in the illegal mining within the next three months, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said that the State mining policy for granting leases – to be tabled in the upcoming assembly session – will be a means to “regularize” the extraction of iron ore between 2007-2012.
Mining leases operating on deemed extension was termed as illegal by the Supreme Court in its April 21, 2014 judgment.
The policy will also speak about the recovery of Rs 35,000 crore as pointed out by the Justice M B Shah Commission inquiry report on illegal mining in Goa, he claimed.
“Those who have extracted the minerals from 2007-2012 didn’t know that it was illegal. It was decided that the extraction is illegal in the year 2014 (through SC judgment),” Parrikar told media Tuesday evening.
Chief Minister said that the mining policy would provide an opportunity to mine owners regularize their operations. “The persons should be given opportunity to turn their irregularity into regularity. That solution would come in the mining policy,” he said without specifying how exactly the legalization would be done.
Parrikar however made it clear that the policy will have nothing to do with the Central government announcement about amendment to the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act 1957.
Parrikar said that although the ore exported during the period (2007-2012) is estimated to be Rs 30,000 crore, the recovery of the money has to be calculated on the profits earned by the mine owners and not the value of the ore extracted.
“Rs 35,000 crore from whom should I get it…Someone should give me the list. Value of asset Rs 35,000 crore should not be calculated on face value. You will find the solution in the mining policy…The answer about how we will recover the money would be given in the mining policy,” he reiterated.
“The Supreme Court has said that no action should be taken unless a person is given an opportunity to explain himself. We have appointed 17 chartered accountants for hearing the mining companies who are indicted in the report. Unless I specifically point out that you are the one who has done the illegality and this is the amount, I cannot go for a criminal proceeding,” Parrikar said.
“Let me tell you, now one by one we are going for criminal proceedings and in the next three months there will be some serious cases filed,” he said, adding that “as per MMDR act mines department has to register the complaint specifically indicating the illegality and the amount involved, which can be determined only by chartered accountants.”
Government has already filed complaints based on the reports of Shah Commission, Central Empowered Committee and public accounts committee before the special investigating team (SIT). SIT had summoned former Chief Minister Digamber Kamat in the case along with other officials.
