BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: Scores of skeletons tumbled out of cupboards of illegal mining magnates as opposition leader Manohar Parrikar vividly highlighted the glaring mismatch in the ore extracted from mines in the state and the royalty paid on it.
Apart from this mismatch clearly pointing out to illegal mining in the state, a host of related issues pertaining to illegal mining also came to the fore.
Faced with stark evidence, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was forced to assure the House that all illegal mining in the state will be closed down.
Parrikar cited figures from the written reply in support of his contention. He said 3 crore, 2 lakh tonnes of ore was extracted in 2008-09 while the royalty paid was to the tune of Rs 26 crore, 66 lakhs. This, Parrikar said, translated into an average collection of Rs 8.46 per tonne. On the other hand, the opposition leader pointed out to the figures of exported ore from the state to be 3 crore, 80 lakhs.
"18% of the ore in excess of that extracted is exported out of Goa. This is unaccounted ore. It is extracted through illegal mining and is not filed with the government," claimed Parrikar.
Further, it was Parrikar's contention that ore from Karnataka into Goa is upgraded and exported which amounts to 4 to 5 lakh tonnes.
" About 30 to 40 lakh tonnes of ore is not accounted for in Goa," was his opinion. This, he felt, translates into an amount of Rs 700 to Rs 800 crore in the economy through fraud and manipulation.
In support of his arguments, Kamat attributed the mismatch in royalty to the changing stipulations of paying royalty on run of mines and on processed ore.
" A special team has been formed to complete every assessment. By December, the entire assessment of all companies will be over," Kamat informed the House.
" We have served notices on all such people to produce documentary evidence to prove they have paid 10% royalty. Any default in this case and I have told officers to go strictly as per law," announced the Chief Minister.
Mining policy in a month: CM
In response to similar question raised by Sanguem MLA Vasudev Meng Gaonkar who expressed apprehensions about mining operations in catchment area of Selaulim dam, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat assured that all such cases will be taken care of in the Mining Policy to be unveiled within a month.
Kamat said a committee has been constituted whereby plans for a separate road for mining traffic in Curchorem, Quepem and Sanguem sector is being worked out. Gaonkar informed that 53 out of 108 mines in the state operate in Sanguem taluka.
