Like B.S. Yeddyurappa in Karnataka, Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat is now
facing criticism from within his own party, the Congress, for illegal mining in
the state, which produces nearly 54 million tonnes of iron ore annually. Of
this, nearly 20 percent is said to be illegal.
Goa Congress sources told IANS that Kamat, along with state Congress president
Subhash Shirodkar, had been summoned by the party's national leadership in New
Delhi for an explanation over his failure to curb illegal mining.
"Over the last four years, Kamat managed to convince the party high command
that illegal mining was a myth. But with facts coming to the fore, Delhi wants
answers from Kamat, why he was found wanting to act against illegal mining," a
party leader said.
The party functionary, a former president of the Goa Congress, said the
Congress leadership might have to match up to the Bharatiya Janata Party's
(BJP) move in Karnataka, where Yeddyurappa was forced to exit as chief minister
after being indicted in a multi-crore illegal mining scam, along with mining
barons and cabinet colleagues, the Reddy brothers.
With Goa scheduled to go for elections before June next year, the Congress top
brass is also wary about its state leadership being linked to a mega mining
scam, the sources say.
According to Congress leader in charge of Goa, Jagmeet Brar, the party would
come down hard on any leader linked to corruption.
"Unlike the BJP, the Congress will not hesitate in taking stringent action
against anybody, howsoever big, found involved in illegal mining. There will be
no compromise on corruption," he said in New Delhi Tuesday.
While the Karnataka mining scam is pegged at Rs.16,000 crore, former deputy
chief minister and ruling Congress legislator Dayanand Narvekar has pegged the
mining scam in Goa at Rs.10,000 crore.
Narvekar Saturday told the Shah Commission, which was in Goa last week to probe
illegal mining, that the scam was obvious because the disparity in the amount
of ore extracted and exported was too large to be missed.
"Illegal mining in Goa is worth Rs.10,000 crore. Goa is exporting more ore than
in it is producing. How can that happen unless the excess ore is extracted
illegally? If the mining department figures and the GMOEA (Goa Mineral Ore
Exporters Association) figures are juxtaposed, the scam is obvious," Narvekar
said.
Kamat, who has been accused by the opposition of overlooking illegal mining
over the last four years, made a hasty trip to Raj Bhavan to meet Justice Shah
Monday.
"I had gone to tell the Commission that legal mining should not be stopped.
There are several thousand families dependent on this trade," Kamat told
reporters.
Justice Shah is expected to submit his report on illegal mining in Goa to the
central government in November.
Leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar has accused Kamat as well as several
cabinet ministers of being part of the illegal mining scandal.
