Last part likely to deal with financial aspects
SHWETA KAMAT
PANJIM: As the mining case is being fast tracked in the Supreme Court, the third and supposedly final report of Justice MB Shah Commission could hit stakeholders where it hurts ~ their financial links. This is especially significant in the backdrop of the mining lobby expecting the industry to restart in some form.
The Commission said that it was in the process of winding up the exhaustive inquiry and the final report would be submitted as soon as possible.
The Commission, which had earlier said that the three months extension granted by the Union Cabinet in July, won’t be sufficient for completing the third report, has now planned to submit it before its tenure ends.
The Union Mines Ministry on July 17 granted a three-month extension to the Shah Commission ending October 15, to submit its report.
Speaking to Herald, Justice Shah said that ‘the enquiry is almost complete and the report would be submitted as early as possible to the Union Ministry’.
The third report is expected to nail the monetary transactions of mine owners, exporters and spell out the loss to the State exchequer in the form of large scale illegal export of iron ore in the last five year-2006-11.
The report is likely to include the findings into investigation of bank accounts of those reportedly found to be involved in the scam. Politicians including former chief ministers and mine owners have already been named in the Shah Commission report, submitted last year.
There have been accusations that the Goa Government had ‘incorrect’ and ‘inaccurate’ production and export figures.
Its first report had said that there was a massive scam of around Rs 35,000 crore, and recommended a ban on the export of iron and manganese ore to conserve the mineral wealth for posterity. It had also said that till government puts up a system in place, the ban on export should continue, which will help in controlling illegal mining.
