Goa MLA shocks all, confesses to illegal mining

Panaji, Sept 29: Anil Salgaoncar, Goa's MLA has confessed to illegal mining from Goa in 2010 without paying any royalty.

According to the MLA who is a miner and politician, at least 1.3 million tonnes of iron ore was exported from Goa in 2010.

Salgaoncar also submitted documents that revealed that iron ore was exported before guidelines were implemented in Jul 2010.

The MLA will be charged Rs 30 crore in royalty along with interest, revealed the Mining Department. The department still has to decide if he will face any action or not.

Salgaoncar's confession comes after the news of illegal iron ore exported from Goa came into light.

The BJP on Sept 28 admitted that Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa was 'negligent' in putting a stop to the illegal iron ore export in the state during his tenure.

BJP further said that they thought it to be a mistake to give Digambar Kamat, then a minister in BJP, the mining portfolio's.

"We did not know that he (Kamat) was making money from the Mines portfolio," said Parsekar.

"it was negligence on part of Parrikar, then Chief Minister, to let this (illegal export of iron ore) happen," he said.

According to a report from the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG), at least 10.9 million metric tonnes of iron ore was exported from the Goan ports from 2004-2006 without paying royalty.

"I don't say our workers are not in the mining trade. If 80 per cent (of those in the trade) are from Congress, there could be 20 per cent from our party. But we don't support them," said Parsekar on the fact that there was possibility that few BJP supporters or well-wishers were involved in illegal mining trade.

OneIndia News