By IANS,
Panaji : The Goa assembly’s public accounts committee (PAC) would crack down on not just errant government officials but also mining companies operating illegally, panel chief Manohar Parrikar said Monday.
“Both (government officials and mining companies) will be held responsible if they are found to be indulging in illegal mining or involved in any illegalities,” Parrikar said.
Parrikar told reporters here that mining companies operating leases using power of attorney from original lease holders would also be under the scanner in the PAC report, which is likely to be tabled in the monsoon session of the state assembly later this week.
The PAC, according to Parrikar, has done a detailed investigation into Goa’s illegal mining scam, which has been pegged at Rs.10,000 crore by a ruling legislator.
“The PAC will not deviate from the data, other than the certified documents submitted by the government departments or collected through witnesses,” the former chief minister said.
The Congress has already been critical of the impending PAC report and said it could be biased.
Goa has 90-odd operational mines, extracting around 54 million tonnes of ore.