First, Shah then Khandeparker, and now CEC, will so many enquiries vitiate Goa’s minescape
It is Commission and Committee season for Mining in Goa asthe battle against illegal mining enters a decisive phase. While ShahCommission set up by Central Government to probe into Illegal Mining of IronOre and Manganese has submitted its report, the Goa Government constitutedJustice Khandeparker Commission has been recently announced to remedy and dealin accordance with law into findings of Goa Legislative Assembly’s PublicAccounts Committee as well as Justice Shah Commission of Inquiry. The arrivalof Supreme Court constituted Central Empowered Committee introduces a newplayer into Goa’s mining scene.
Constituted by Supreme Court of India in May 2002, the CECis headed by P V Jayakrishnan, a former Secretary – Ministry of Environment andForest. What apex court has mandated to the CEC in its order last week is thatSecretaries, MoEF and Mines as well as Chief Secretary, Goa furnish allinformation that the CEC may require for making its report for the Court inlight of the Shah Commission's report.
The Law Department officials however concur that there willbe no conflict of interest nor duplication of issues. Goa’s Attorney GeneralAtamaram Nadkarni cleared the air explaining “all these three bodies areworking on different aspects. It is not going to contribute in delay of miningrestart in anyways’. For Goa Government’s top man of law, the interpretation ofthe three bodies and their working simultaneously is a great relief to aGovernment seized by mining closure.
However the Goa Governmentis not taking chances. “We have already dealt with 40 of 42 leases that hadbeen condoned for their delays and have just issued notices to all the 100leases that had featured in Shah Commission’s Report” explains PrasannaAcharya, Director of Mines and Geology. Acharya’s team has been seekingclarifications, collecting documents, summoning officials from all those leaseswho have featured in Shah Commission’s final report on illegal mining. “We havecovered more than half of the enquiries and propose to finish off the restsoon” says the Mines Director.
However, Goa Government’s Khandeparkar Commission’s role though visibly not in syncwith either Centre’s Shah Commission or SC’s CEC takes the illegal mining issuefurther. “While Shah’s was an inquiry commission, Khandeparker’s will be aninvestigative Commission” explains Acharya. The Khandeparker Commission alsohas the mandate to fix responsibilities and even realize the amount embezzledby erring rogue miners and Govt officials.
In fact, Goa Government’s confidence on continuing with theyet to be notified Khandeparker Commission arises from the fact that it hasconstitutional powers to delegate its duties. The question of conflict hence isnot a probability. What however is happening that the much maligned Miningindustry in Goa will finally be taken through an intense scrutiny that has towithstands the test of law.
