TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: Even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is probing the coal block allotments from 2004 to 2009, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the Goa Assembly, Friday, that a vigilance inquiry will also be held into the alleged irregularities in the agreement with private parties by the previous Congress-led regime concerning the allocation at Raigarh district in Chhattisgarh.
The chief minister said that there are certain grey areas in the entire deal involving a private party and Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC).
“I will ask the Vigilance Department to go into the parameters of this deal. There are some grey areas. I had raised this issue in 2008. If there is anything substantial found, I will act,” Parrikar said replying to a starred question tabled by Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte.
He commented that if he gets into these things, procedural errors will surface, and he was aware of the same.
“There is a lot of investment carried out. Many wrong things have happened in the past. But If I correct it now after investing Rs 600-1,000 crore, we will suffer because we won’t get power,” he said.
The State government had signed an agreement with the private company which was to take coal and supply 250 MW power to Goa in exchange. He also added that GIDC should not have been the agency acting on behalf of the government.
Khaunte charged that the coal block is a scam and demanded that government appoint a task force to investigate it. He also claimed that he possesses all the relevant documents to prove his charge.
Parrikar said that Chhattisgarh is yet to give mining licence for exploring coal at the site allocated to Goa government. He also said that licence for mining the coal would be granted within a month and in the next two to three months Goa government will be able to get power from this coal block.
“We have told the Chhattisgarh government that since the block is allotted to the State government, if there is any irregularity we will take action,” the chief minister said.
Parrikar said power generation at the site has already begun by the company which is currently importing the coal. “If we want, we can get 100 MW power but we will have to pay Rs 3.50 per unit. That is why we are waiting for the mining lease to be cleared,” he added.
Parrikar had initially refused to entertain the demand for a separate inquiry in the State, arguing that the investigation should not be carried out by multiple agencies as CBI is already investigating into it and the Goa government has submitted all relevant papers to them. “Let us carry out an internal inquiry,” he later agreed, adding “Let public accounts committee go through it. The deal was not signed during our tenure and we have not spent a rupee. I want to ensure the plant starts.”
With regards to the present status of the coal block allotment to Goa, Industries Minister Mahadev Naik informed that mining plan has been approved and stage-II forfeits clearance and environment clearance have been obtained.
“The Ministry of Coal has conveyed its prior administrative approval for granting mining lease to the GIDC in respect of Gare Pelma sector-III coal block allotted to it. Mining lease order is awaited from Chattisgarh government,” he stated in his written reply tabled on the floor of the House.
To another question, the minister revealed that GIDC has no joint venture with any private company for development of coal block. But it has selected a power developer on the basis of the evaluation criteria and the documents received. The government is however not aware whether the directors of the company have any political background or involved in any scam earlier.
