With uncertainty prevailing overresumption of mining activity in Goa, Chief Minister ManoharParrikar has said the government and not court can find asolution to it.
Supreme Court recently halted the transportation andextraction of ore in the state pending inquiry report from theCentrally Empowered committee (CEC), which will probe into theillegalities pointed out by Justice M B Shah Commission.
"I have strong objections to a ruling like this....Insituations like this it is governments that have to deliver,"Parrikar said last night while speaking at a function to markthe birth anniversary of former minister late Matanhi Saldanhain Panaji.
The state government had suspended all the miningleases on September 10 and subsequently in the first week ofOctober, Supreme Court ordered halting of extraction andtransportation iron ore in Goa.
The people dependent on mining activity fear to losetheir livelihood if the ban continues.
"It is the government which has to put stop to themining," the Chief Minister said.
The Shah Commission report estimated a whopping Rs35,000 crore loss to the exchequer due to illegal mining inthe last 12 years.
Referring to the demand of recovering the money fromthe mine owners, Parrikar said, "If anything has been lootedfrom the state, it will be recovered."
"It is very easy to say that the Rs 35,000 crore hasto be recovered. Executing it is very difficult," he added.
Parrikar said the government had sent notices to allmining companies asking why the money should not be recoveredand all of them replied saying that the report was wrong.
"Now I have to sit and worry about the issues thatmine owners have pointed out, because the administration hasto function in a particular way. Else, we will get dragged tocourt," he said.
