Centre seeks ore export info from Goa

The move came in the wake of allegations that a large quantity of iron ore extracted in Karnataka was exported illegally from various ports in Goa.

The Goa government will have to submit the details of the exports from 2005, when the demand in the Chinese market boosted iron ore exports, till 2011, when the mining scam came to the light, sources in the Ministry told Deccan Herald.

The ministry also asked the state officials to produce data on the quantum of Karnataka ore allegedly used for blending with local low-grade ore during the last five years.

The ministry, which had taken up the matter seriously, also decided to ask the Railways Ministry to give details of the ore brought by wagon from Karnataka to Goa.

“The Indian Bureau of mines (IBM) will  record the data,” the officials added.
They will also compare the figure submitted by the Karnataka government on transportation of ore from its mines.

As a number of Goa-based mining companies and exporters have stake in mining activities in Karnataka there was an allegation that many have been indulged in illegal shipment of ore.

It is learnt that some big business houses used to get high grade ore from Karnataka mines in the guise of a blend with low-grade ore mined in Goa and exported it to foreign countries illegally.

Former Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde, in his report on illegal mining in Karnataka, also mentioned that 45 lakh tonne of high grade ore was exported through Goa's Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).

The report pointed out that the ore was brought from Karnataka in the pretext of blending it with local low-grade ore, which is non-consumable by the steel industry, and in fact exported through the port though Karnataka had banned exports.

The report also questioned the export of high grade ore, with as much as 64 per cent Fe content, from the Goa port when the state does not have such kind of ore.

The ministry also announced to take a fresh survey in Goa to access the quantum of loss to exchequer due to illegal mining and export.

Goa CM meets Sonia Gandhi
 Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday in the backdrop of allegations of illegal mining against him. Kamat described his meeting with Sonia Gandhi as a courtesy call.

“I had not met her after she came back from treatment. It was just a courtesy call to convey good wishes of the people from Goa,” Kamat said. Kamat’s visit to Delhi has significance as the Congress-led government is pushed to the corner over charges of illegal mining.Congress has indicated that it can take action against Kamat, if indicted by Shah Commission probing the illegal mining. Congress in-charge of Goa affairs, Jagmeet Brar has said that party does not want to face Karnataka-like situation, where BJP was forced to dump BS Yeddyurappa as chief minister after his indictment by Lokayukta Santosh Hegde in his report on illegal mining.