Politics News Updated Sep 25, 2011 at 08:29am IST
Goa mining scam lands state Govt in trouble
CNN-IBN.
Panaji: After Bellary, now it is Goa where Rs 8000-crore iron-ore mining scam has landed the state government in trouble.
Environmentalists and the Opposition have alleged that Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, also in-charge of the state mining ministry, colluded with the illegal mining firms.
They said that Kamat turned a blind eye to virtual iron ore loot in the state running into a whopping Rs 8,000 crore.
"It is exactly similar to Bellary's situation. The Chief Minster is involved as he is the minister of mines also for last 11 years. The friends of the CM are involved because it is only happening on friendship bases and the forest department is involved, department of mines is involved," said Claud Alvares, an activist.
Here are some of the glaring violations:
- Environmental clearance limit for the Vedanta-owned Sesa Goa Ltd's three mines was two lakh tonnes annually. However, in 2006, it extracted 8 lakh tonnes.
Similarly, VM Salgaocar & Brothers Pvt Ltd was permitted to extract 16.92 lakh tonnes from its four mines. But since 2006, the company extracted almost 27 lakh tonnes.
- Environmental clearance limit for VM Salgaocar & Brothers Pvt Ltd's four mines was 16.92 lakh tonnes annually, but since 2006, it extracted 26.92 lakh tonnes.
Another company, VS Dempo, had permission to extract 11 lakh tonnes from its three mines, but it extracted over 20 lakh tonnes in 2008.
The list goes on as 48 of the 92 mining companies have flouted norms and over 90 lakh tonnes worth several hundred crore has been illegally mined in the last four years alone.
"The situation in Goa is not as bad as Karnataka and Andhra," said Goa Congress chief Subhash Shirodkar.
In fact, the Goa Port, which is the country's largest exporter port of iron ore, alerted the government of illegal export of at least five million tonnes from Panaji.
The Mineral Ore Exporters Association also claimed that most of the exporters were not even registered, but the government did nothing.
With the stink of the multi-thousand crore scam spreading fast and a scathing Public Accounts Committee report likely to be tabled in the Goa Assembly in early October, the state Chief Minister finds himself on a minefield of allegations, quite literally.
Forwarded by: Xavier Furtado,
AVC - Kuwait.
September 25, 2011
September 24, 2011
MARCOS VAS TO SING A SPECIAL SOLO ON ROSARY FERNS.
Seen in the picture above is Rosary Ferns who suddenly died on 12th January this year while on vacation in Goa.
On coming Friday during the "Mother's Day" Tiatro in Kuwait, Marcos Vas the well known singer coming all the way from Goa to participate in this Tiatro will sing a specially composed solo on the late Rosary Ferns. This information was disclosed to goa-kranti by the organiser of this Tiatro.
ADV. AIRES RODRIGUES' 48 HOURS ULTIMATUM TO ADVOCATE AMIT DESAI.
ADVOCATE AMIT DESAI GIVEN 48 HOURS TO REFUND THE FIVE LAKHS TO THE GOAGOVERNMENT
Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today given Mumbai Senior Advocate Amit Desaia deadline of 48 hours to refund to the Goa Government the Rs five lakhs he had fraudulently billed for the four hearings he neverappeared for before the Bombay High Court at Goa.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that he would be compelled to file an F.I.Rof cheating against Adv. Amit Desai and Panaji based Adv.Ashwin Bhobe. The Goa Police has already issued a notice to Adv. Amit Desai directing him to furnish High Court appearance certificates for thosefour hearings which he was paid a total of Rs five lakhs.
On the advice of Advocate General Subodh Kantak the Goa Government had engaged Adv. Amit Desai at a fee of Rs 1, 25, 000 per hearing to appear for the State in the Ryan Fernandes death sentence confirmation case. The government also appointed Adv Ashwin Bhobe to assist Adv.Amit Desai at a fee of Rs 5000 per hearing.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that Adv. Amit Desai’s raising the bills was a clear act of cheating, while Adv. Ashwin Bhobe conspired and corroborated in the act by submitting those bills to the governmentknowing that the bills were falsely raised.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that the bills of Advocate Amit Desai were submitted to the Goa Government by Advocate Ashwin Bhobe who was fully aware that Adv. Amit Desai had not appeared for those four hearingsand was fraudulently claiming Rs five lakhs.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that Adv. Ashwin Bhobe had also pursued with the authorities to expeditiously clear out of turn Adv. Amit Desai’sbills while bypassing the laid down procedures.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that this Amit Desai Saga calls for immediate action by the Law department into the manner in which advocates are currently being appointed by the Government as Special Counsels, the fees being agreed to be paidand their bills processed.
Alleging that the current system lacks any transparency with the coterie of lawyers around Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak just recklessly bleeding the State exchequer, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that the questionable role of Mr. Subodh Kantak in the entire Amit Desai episode has left many questions unanswered.
Adv. Rodrigues has further alleged that a look at the functioning of the Advocate General’s office and the government advocates it reveals that a privileged section of one particular community with the blessings and patronage of Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak had been reaping huge illegal benefits bringing the entire judicial system todisrepute.
Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today given Mumbai Senior Advocate Amit Desaia deadline of 48 hours to refund to the Goa Government the Rs five lakhs he had fraudulently billed for the four hearings he neverappeared for before the Bombay High Court at Goa.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that he would be compelled to file an F.I.Rof cheating against Adv. Amit Desai and Panaji based Adv.Ashwin Bhobe. The Goa Police has already issued a notice to Adv. Amit Desai directing him to furnish High Court appearance certificates for thosefour hearings which he was paid a total of Rs five lakhs.
On the advice of Advocate General Subodh Kantak the Goa Government had engaged Adv. Amit Desai at a fee of Rs 1, 25, 000 per hearing to appear for the State in the Ryan Fernandes death sentence confirmation case. The government also appointed Adv Ashwin Bhobe to assist Adv.Amit Desai at a fee of Rs 5000 per hearing.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that Adv. Amit Desai’s raising the bills was a clear act of cheating, while Adv. Ashwin Bhobe conspired and corroborated in the act by submitting those bills to the governmentknowing that the bills were falsely raised.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that the bills of Advocate Amit Desai were submitted to the Goa Government by Advocate Ashwin Bhobe who was fully aware that Adv. Amit Desai had not appeared for those four hearingsand was fraudulently claiming Rs five lakhs.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that Adv. Ashwin Bhobe had also pursued with the authorities to expeditiously clear out of turn Adv. Amit Desai’sbills while bypassing the laid down procedures.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that this Amit Desai Saga calls for immediate action by the Law department into the manner in which advocates are currently being appointed by the Government as Special Counsels, the fees being agreed to be paidand their bills processed.
Alleging that the current system lacks any transparency with the coterie of lawyers around Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak just recklessly bleeding the State exchequer, Adv. Rodrigues has stated that the questionable role of Mr. Subodh Kantak in the entire Amit Desai episode has left many questions unanswered.
Adv. Rodrigues has further alleged that a look at the functioning of the Advocate General’s office and the government advocates it reveals that a privileged section of one particular community with the blessings and patronage of Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak had been reaping huge illegal benefits bringing the entire judicial system todisrepute.
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