The Goan: What hasbeen the effect of closure of mines so far?
Prasanna Acharya:We have done no assessment about that. It is for the mining industry torespond.
TG: How will thesuspension of environment clearance by MoEF affect the State government’s owndrive of cleaning up the mining industry?
PA: I have notreceived any copy of suspension of environmental clearance of any of the mines.So how can I pre-assume things?
TG: Will itcomplicate government’s drive of kick starting mining after intensive scrutinyof the mining companies and their leases?
PA: I cannotcomment on this as a director of mines. The government will be in a betterposition to answer that.
TG: What has been theloss to the industry till this moment?
PA: We cannotaccess the loss yet, as only few days have passed after suspension of the mining.If the ban continues till the end of this year then we will be in position tocalculate the losses.
TG: Considering evenallied industries like barges, truckers etc will also be affected, what will bethe estimated loss overall?
PA: Does notarise in view of above.
TG: What has been theresponse so far from mine owners with regards to already extracted ore, tillSeptember 10? How many of them have approached you thereafter and how manycases have been cleared so far?
PA: I cannot sayanything about the mine owners’ response. And till now nothing has beencleared.
TG: The ShahCommission Report has talked of 10 km buffer zone. Considering that thegovernment has its own views on buffer zones will it be acting on ShahCommission's report? Will the government implement it?
PA: It is for theforest department to decide.
TG: Won’t the bufferzones kill Goa’s mining industry?
PA: Thegovernment is best to answer this question.
TG: The officialsthat have been suspended are very junior in the hierarchy. How serious wastheir involvement in illegal mining?
PA: They were theones who were responsible. Investigation is still going on.
TG: What about thesenior level officials’ role in illegal mining?
PA: Of all the officers that are suspended 50% ofthem are gazetted officers.
TG: Former MiningMinister Digambar Kamat has been directly named in Shah Commission report, whyisn’t he being questioned?
PA: Investigationis going on whoever is involved in the illegalities will be questioned.
TG: What is thestatus of action on rogue traders? Till what stage has it reached? Have anyFIRs or charge sheets been filed, so far?
PA: We held firstmeeting of auditing committee on Thursday. We are still auditing data of thelast five years. We will take appropriate action after the investigativeauditing committee submits its reports.
