Illegal mining: GCCI to ask members to own up if found guilty

Panaji, Oct 20: With illegal mining in the coastal state under scanner, the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI) today said it would ask its members to "clean up" if they are found to be involved in any such practises.

GCCI President Manguirish Pai Raikar said there was a possibility that few of its members might have been involved in the illegal trade along with the fly-by-night operators.

"We will act when things are clear after Justice Shah Commission report is out. We will not derecognise them (the members) from the chamber but will ask them to clean up," Raikar said responding to a query during a press conference.

GCCI has several mine owners as its members and has even nominated Narayan Bandekar, a prominent mine owner, as the member of its mining committee.

Asserting that the GCCI has no tolerance towards corruption, Raikar said, "It's in the constitution of the chamber itself that if any member is found to be corrupt, his membership shall be liable to be cancelled".

The members would be asked to clean up the wrongdoings, if they are caught in the act of illegal mining, he added.

Following largescale illegal mining in the coastal state, Justice M B Shah Commission has been inquiring into the quantum of illegal iron ore that has been allegedly transported through both ports in Goa.

PTI