TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The State government is undecided over setting up of a special anti-extortion cell and anti-money laundering cell as directed by the Centre to prevent nexus between illegal mining/forest contractors and extremists.
However, in the last three years there has been no progress in this regard, probably due to the fact that there is no mining-related extremism or Naxalite activity in the State. But the government has failed to inform the Centre on the status of the cell, though officials admit a communiqué should be sent in case it was found that there was no need for it.
The Union Mines Ministry in 2011 had directed all state governments to constitute a special cell to foil any attempt of extortion or money laundering by illegal miners.
Repeated reminders have been made by the central coordination-cum-empowered committee (CCEC) on mineral development and regulation to the respective states over need for the formation of such a cell.
The CCEC in its meeting on May 14 has directed all states to submit status report on the cell. “It was noted that most of the states had either set up anti-extortion cells nor informed the Ministry about the same. All the state governments were requested to furnish information on setting up of the cell to the Ministry at the earliest,” the minutes of the meeting read.
Director of Mines Prasanna Acharya said that the department in 2012 had moved a proposal to Chief Secretary and Home Ministry for setting up of such a cell in Goa. “There is no decision on the matter as of now. We will have to follow it up,” he said.
At the same time Acharya said since there was no mining-related extremism or Naxalism in Goa the government was indecisive on whether to form the cell.
“We might have to form a special cell to look into mining illegalities. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will have to take a final call on it,” Acharya said, adding, “If we don’t require it, then a communication will have to be sent to the Union Ministry’.
