Panaji: Goa's mining industry, in the last six months, has reported almost 10 percent of its Iron ore being exported under doubtful circumstances despite being under strict surveillance for illegal mining activities.
Records indicate that between April-November, 2011, total 24 million metric tonnes (MMT) Iron Ore was exported from both the ports in Goa Panaji port and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).
Of the entire export, only 21 MMT was registered with the
Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA) and the rest
remains unclassified, GMOEA Secretary Glenn Kalavampara said.
GMOEA is a body of exporters in the state, which has
biggest miners as its members.
Now suspicion shrouds 3 MMT of Iron Ore, which was
exported by small time traders, usually termed as fly-by-night
operators.
Goa witnessed unprecendented regulatory measures by the
state government after Justice M B Shah Commission began its
probe into illegal mining activities.
Around 400-odd traders, who were linkages between
exporters and mine owners, were summoned by State Mines and
Geology department following which it was found that many of
these operators worked with fake addresses.
Goa government also tightened noose around the ports
after it was revealed that of the total 54 million metric
tonnes ore sent through Goa ports, around 7 MMT was
unclassified.
The situation was expected to be improving this
financial year after much discussion on the unclassified ore
but it remained the same.
The ore which is not registered with GMOEA has a
question-mark on its source, which means that there is a
possibility that it could have been extracted illegally.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 29, 2011, 10:20