Dept clueless on mining: Daya

Dept clueless on mining: Daya
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 22
Goa’s mining industry and the Mines Department came in for close scrutiny on the fourth day of the Monsoon Session of the Goa Legislative Assembly with Aldona and Congress MLA Dayanand Narvekar maintaining there was no accountability from mining companies operating in the State and the department was clueless on what exactly is the ground reality. 
Narvekar, who is known for taking digs at his own Government, charged that mining companies were having a free run while the Mines Department with pitiful staff strength had no one to work on the field to keep checks and balances over an activity that’s churning out revenue in crores of rupees.
He informed the House that it was shockingly learnt that the staff strength of the Mining Department controlling such a big activity was a mere 70 and out of these 35 were D-category workers like peons and attendants. The remaining 35 were clerical staff and superintendents, he mentioned.
He said humorously even the Goa Cricket Association staff strength was the same as that of the Mines Department. Narvekar is the President of GCA.
He further revealed that there is no check on the actual production of mining on the field. The Mines Department officials sit in the office and blindly stamp on the challans produced by mining representatives. So, this is the weird system of assessing production, he chided.
Narvekar further revealed, “The department has a website, but, shockingly, no mining companies feature on this site giving details like production, date of environmental clearance and other important aspects.” The mining companies never show their mining plans to the department, he stated.
He said it was time to tell mine owners to maintain safe distance from rivers, move out of forest areas and fill-up all mining pits and further regulate their activities in consonance with the State’s environment.
Narvekar pointed out there the revenue fetched by the Excise Department and the Mining Department was the same but the former had system of keeping checks and balances through their excise inspectors. The Mining Department should have mines inspectors and the Government has to give a thought to this, he suggested. 
He said time has come to fortify the department and take corrective action. “The Government has to assure Goa’s Padma awardees, who had raised a voice against excessive mining, that it was serious and will write to the Centre on the issue,” he mentioned.
BJP’s Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza maintained the CM was holding the mines portfolio for 10 long years and would be in a better position to answer many questions. “Who is the real owner in mining? Is it the Government?” he questioned.
D’Souza said illegal mining was rampant and there was no control. There is illegal mining going on in forest areas and till date no one has bothered to form a House Committee on the issue, he chided. My suggestion to the CM is to form a House Committee to see what was going on, he stated.
BJP MLA Ramesh Tawadkar too spoke his mind on mining by stating that excessive mining was displacing the tribal population. “A day is not far when Goa will also see Naxalism as result of tribals losing their land,” he warned. 
Another BJP MLA Laxmikant Parsekar too took pot shots at sand mining in Tiracol River at Keri in Pernem taluka. On account of this mining the depth of the river has increased and a road running adjacent was in danger of sinking, he informed the House.