PANJIM: Getting no reply from the State government to its legal notice seeking recovery of Rs 65,000 crore from mine owners for illegal mining between 2007 and 2012, NGO Goa Foundation is set to move the High Court pleading for directions to the government for the recovery of the amount.
Goa Foundation (GF), the petitioner in the illegal mining case before the Supreme Court, had last month served legal notice to Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma and Mines Secretary Daulat Hawaldar seeking recovery of the amount. The notice had stated that the failure to initiate recovery proceedings will force the GF to approach the judiciary for necessary directions.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Goa Foundation director Dr Claude Alvares said that an amount conservatively estimated at Rs 65,058 crore is recoverable on account of illegal mining after November 22, 2007 till the ban on September 12, 2012. The value of the minerals exported during this period works out to Rs 65,058 crore, net of royalty received.
“Section 21(5) of the MMDR Act, 1957 requires full recovery of the value of minerals when illegal mining takes place. And Rule 64A of the MCR, 1960 requires simple interest of 24 percent,” he said.
Supreme Court in its judgment dated April 21, 2014 in the illegal mining case filed by GF based on Justice M B Shah Commission inquiry report, had directed the government to initiate recovery proceedings against mine owners. Accordingly, the government had appointed a team of chartered accountants to identify the exact loss to the State exchequer from each mining lease holder. The report is still awaited.
