Dear John Gomes, You wrote: Government has spent lakhs, whilst the owner of the vessel has got scot free of any punishment or fine. Our beaches are permanently damaged. States finances in the RED. Can someone enlighten us as to what is going on?
The answer is Digu and 40 chors are shareholders in all mines. Read posts given below. Mining profit is 15000 to 20000 crore every year. If they give 25% of this to each of the 40 chors, then each will get 100 crore every year. Rajendra Kakodkar wrote on 4/8/2010 on Goanet: It is reported that CM has sought Rs 125 crores from the centre to remove River Princess. Why should people bear the liabilities of a private vessel, especially when it was used to mint windfall gains for miners? Salgaokar Mining profits are not known because it is family owned firm. But, latest quarter net profit of Sesa was Rs 1300 cr. This is actually two-month profit since there are almost no exports in June being monsoon. On this basis, Sesa is slated to profit Rs. 5000 to 6000 cr for the full year. The profits of Goan Mining Sector therefore could be Rs 15000 crore. Considering this, Rs 125 crore is mere three day profits of miners collectively. Can’t CM force Salgaokar or his co-miners to bear this? Why should public exchequer bear it? What steps did CM take to prevent such occurrences in future? What remedy does government have if another ship or barge meets similar fate? Each miner insures his vessel and recovers his loss if it gets grounded. But they do not insure for public/third-party/environmental loss. Why does CM not pass legislation to make it mandatory for miners to insure such public losses? * * *Aires Rodrigues wrote in Herald on 15/06/2010 about CM’s growing assets:** * * * Chief Minister Digambar Kamat may continue to live in his old flat in Margao even after becoming CM, but can he also enlighten the people of Goa on the astronomical growth of his assets and those of his family and business associates, first after he became a minister and then over the last three years as chief minister. Could this be the real reason why the government has kept the proposal for a Lokayukta to check corruption in cold storage? Rajendra Kakodkar wrote on 31/7/2010 on Goanet: Karnataka congress legistors waged a war in the assembly against the 5 mt illegal mining in the state and forced the CM to take an effective corrective action. Digu with 11 years uninterrupted possession of mines ministry is near CEO of Goan Miners Group and he will do all that aids miners even if Goan environment is devastated. He also said that he doesnt need votes from nij-goekars. Parrikar claims 22% mining in Goa to be illegal. MPT declared exports of 40 mt. Therefore illegal mining in Goa is 9mt (double of Karnataka). Why Parrikar only raise the issue and leave it without taking it to its logical conclusion? He could also stall the proceedings unless concrete steps are taken by Digu, the mines min for 11 uninterrupted years. Is Parrikar incapable of doing this? Or is he also had-in-glove with Digu? On 24/7/2010 I wrote on Goanet: Every Goan family to receive 10 lakh rupees every year! Based on Sesa’s recent profits, few mining families in Goa earn 20000 crore rupees. There are 2 lakh families in Goa. If mining profit is distributed to all Goans, every Goan family will receive 10 lakh rupees every year. It is revealing that what social services the mine owners are doing and getting big report in news papers is eye wash. It is like 100 rupees for a common man. * * * Was life in the *kudds* glamourised? Who said, "It appears that the Goanese (sic) are a roving people, prepared to go to any part of the world for well-paid employment"? How did Goans find their first toehold in the Gulf? Find your answers in Selma Carvalho's *Into the Goan Diaspora Wilderness*. Buy from Broadways Book Centre, Panjim [Ph +91-9822488564] Price (in Goa only) Rs 295. http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/ * * *
