PANJIM: Goa Foundation (GF), that has filed a series of litigations with regards to illegal mining in the State, is now contemplating moving the High Court for directions to the State government for recovery of Rs 3,400 crore from mining companies, for illegal iron ore extraction activities as pointed out by the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) and the State Chartered Accountant’s Audit report.
Addressing media persons on Saturday, GF director Claude Alvares pointed out that despite directions from the Supreme Court, via a judgment dated February 7, 2018, for the State government to take necessary steps to expedite recovery of the amounts due from the mining lease holders, government has taken no action.
“As per the information procured under Right to Information Act (RTI), an amount of Rs 3,431.31 crore is due from the mining companies for undertaking illegal activities. The largest amount recovery due is from Vedanta Limited that is Rs 1,647.41 crore,” he said.
Alvares pointed out that CAG in its report has pointed out that seven mining leases were involved in undertaking mining activities in excess of the mining plan, the total value of which was around Rs 1,529.64 crore. “Another ten leases were involved in mining in excess of environmental clearance limit with a total recovery value of Rs 374.99 crore,” he said.
CAG has also pointed out that government failure of short recovery of royalty from nine leases to the tune of Rs 17.98 crore, he said. Alvares claimed that as per the Chartered Accountants mining audit report, the total loss to the State exchequers is around Rs 1,508.70 crore.
“We demand that the government obey the Supreme Court order and expedite recovery of these large amounts. If not, the assets, accounts, buildings and other properties of the lease-holders need to be attached,” he demanded.
“We are committed to recover these huge amounts prior to any resumption of mining activities. Government reluctance is forcing us to contemplate moving High Court for necessary directions,” Alvares stated.
GF said that the entire money recovered should be used to pay the dues of all the mining dependents, who are currently suffering due to the closure of the industry since March.
Alvares alleged that the State government is simply not willing to remove itself from acting under the influence of the mining lobbies in the State. “Despite Rs 3,431 crore due from the leaseholders, government is unable to help the mining dependents. Despite having Rs 180 crore in the Goa Mineral Foundation, it has failed to utilise the amount to help the mining affected,” he said.
GF had last month moved the court with a petition seeking directions on recovery of dues from Vedanta Ltd for five years of illegal mining, which amounts to Rs 21,000 crore. The court had granted eight weeks time to State to reply. The matter is due for hearing in the last week of October.
