l If Goa follows the Orissa govt’s decisions, I will take it up l Orissa government’s orders are bad, cannot be sustained
Herald: What do you feel about the decision by the Orissa government to renew 26 leases in May, a month after the Supreme Court judgment on Goa?
Claude Alvares: Only the Orissa government knows what it is doing. But if something similar happens in Goa I will take it up. In Orissa, the court has already given a judgment on captive mines. Having this order, the government has gone back and given this order on lease allotment. It is a very bad order and cannot be sustained.
HERALD: But lease renewals have been permitted by the Supreme Court in both Goa and Orissa
Claude Alvares: We have no objection to anybody getting a lease renewed even twenty times. But we want the best rate for the ore on the lease.
This is different from getting the lease deed. Here let me say that stamp duty is only an acknowledgment of the lease deed. But, to let out the lease, you have to get the best price.
Like in the 2G case the Supreme Court has settled the issue in the 2G spectrum case. My feeling is the Orissa judgment will be challenged.
Herald: Do you think that there will be a fall out of the FIR filed by the Enforcement Directorate against Mining companies, on the resumption or renewal of leases
Claude Alvares: All those people who have done double invoicing will be coming under the scanner. There have been lots of illegal NOCs by GMOE on the basis of fake documents.
This will complicate matters as far as mining in Goa is concerned. This is because all those names (figuring) in the FIR will be automatically disqualified. Also, all those names (figuring) in the Shah Commission report will also be automatically disqualified. This FIR vindicates my stand. This is based on the 111 pages Shah report which deals with money laundering. It is good that the ED has come in and filed. Let the authorities investigate.
We are very happy that the investigation is happening from Delhi as Goa government is not going to do anything.
This is on the payments made into Cayman accounts in 2007 by many prominent Goans.
I am making this statement as per the investigation and as per details put on the web by an International Association for Investigative Journalism.
