PAC report on illegal mining in Goa likely to be tabled today

Panaji, Oct 7: Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Chairman Manohar Parrikar today (Oct 7) said he will wait and watch for the Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker to take a call on the illegal mining report, submitted to him.

"I can't comment anything right now. I have given the report to the Speaker. I hope that he tables it today in the session," Parrikar told PTI. The report, which has extensively investigated the illegal mining trade in the state, has pegged the illegal mining scam to be at Rs 4,000-crore.

The report was handed over the Speaker Pratapsingh Rane on Wednesday, the first day of the session and he is expected to decide on it today. When contacted, Rane preferred to keep mum on the issue. On Wednesday, he had said that since majority of the members have not signed it, the report may not be considered. Parrikar said three Congress members and one Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) member refusing to sign the document, does not challenge the authenticity of the report.

"The rules are clear that the report has to be signed by Chairman and the opinions expressed by members should be embedded in the final report," he said. The PAC Chairman said that he has recorded the views expressed by ruling party members during the meeting.

"They have not given me anything in writing but I have recorded everything in the covering letter submitted alongwith the report," Parrikar said. Congress legislator Agnelo Fernandes had walked out with the PAC report on Tuesday expressing his doubts on the document.

Two more Congress members--Victoria Fernandes and Francis Silveira--had also refused to sign. MGP legislator Deepak Dhavalikar, who had earlier showed his trust in the report, had suddenly refused to sign it. Three BJP members had signed the document, which stems from findings of Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) on illegal mining trade in the state.

PTI