The Goa government’s open but apparently justifiableconfrontation with the centre, on issues of turf control is on a the verge offurther escalation, according to The Goan, which is privy to classifiedexchanges both verbal and written between the Chief Minister’s office and twoministries at the centre “ Mines and Home.
The confrontation with the Mines ministry is mainly withregard to dump handling, removal and mining while a direct war wages with theHome Ministry on its powers of appointing cadre IAS and IPS officers to Goa.(see accompanying story)
Documents, mainly letters accessed by The Goan andinformation regarding fresh documents currently being prepared, revolve aroundtwo issues on which the Parrikar government has sought to take on the centre ina manner hitherto unknown for its sharpness. This is after a clear andseemingly unnecessary provocation on both issues by different centralministries. First, the confrontation with the mines ministry and the Indianbureau of mines. On August 24, the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) under the Minesministry which, in a letter by Controller General, CS Gundewar to the minesdepartment in Goa has said that the state government needs a prior approval ofthe ministry of mines in respect of removal and handling of dumps outside thelease area and till such approval is received, the state government should notpermit any dump removal and handling.
Earlier on July 2, the Union Mines ministry was “of theopinion” that Environment Clearances are needed for dump handling. It also saidthat all dump operations should be a part of the mining plan.
The Chief Minister, after communicating his ‘no go’ on thecentre’s directives, disguised as suggestions is now awaiting a note from themines department which will serve the basis of his reply. The Goan has accessedthe note prepared for the Chief Minister. The tone of the note, reveals thebitterness between Goa and the centre on the issue It states “IBM is indirectlyissuing directives to the state government in areas that are the exclusivedomain of the state government. It has also stated with regard to IBM’s mentionthat royalty should be charged on mining dumps that “we (Goa) do not needdirection from IBM in discharging our obligation”
The main points of the note under preparation, which hitsback at the IBM are (the sentences in quotes are directly from the note.
There is clear legal opinion of the Solicitor General ofIndia (Rohinton Nariman) that “no fresh environmental clearance is required fordump handling and this is fully covered under the Environmental clearancegranted for purpose of mining.
“The Indian Bureau of Mines has woken up after decades tothe reality of dumps. At best their efforts are too little too late. It isnothing but what the government of Goa has very boldly decided to do to promotesustainable mining in the state
The state mining policy does not require any approval fromany other agency. In no circumstances is it mandatory to seek prior approval ofthe central government.
The note will question the very basis of the centres’involvement in the mining policy since it is a state document.
Principal Secretary, Mines, Rajeev Verma told The Goan “Wehave controlled dump management that neither the IBM nor the MOEF did. We insiston zero waste mining and will actually free up huge tracts for farming andother purposes. Revenue will be recovered from dumps in forest and privatelands”
The battle has just begun. From absolutely no control in theprevious Kamat government era to the iron control of Parrikar.
Goa pushes outDelhi's pull on IAS, IPS postings
CM in letter to P Chidambaram (ex-home minister) callscentre an "autocratic monolith that has to be tamed"
The trigger: Unknown to most, the specific trigger thatlaunched an all-out no holds barred confrontation between the Parrikargovernment and the centre over the posting and appointment of AGMUT cadre IASand IPS officers, was first pulled by an Under Secretary in the Homedepartment, who wrote to DIG Ravindra Yadav asking him to move out of Goa.
In letter but not inspirit: Here are thecontents of the letter, whose tone is baffling. It has the flaws too which wewill go into later. The letter signed by Under Secretary Home (GOI) to DIGRavindra Yadav mentioned “You stand relieved with immediate effect. You do notneed any permission from the state government to be relieved. Relinquish chargeimmediately failing which disciplinary proceedings will be started againstyou”.
One of the senior mostcadre officials of Goa, privy to this letter said “The tone was uncalledfor, as if provoking a confrontation with the state government. And that’s whathappened”.
Tragic flaw: But the centre’s flaw goes beyond thesemantics of such a letter. Goa is a state that is a part of the central jointcadre, which it shares with Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and the Unionterritories called the AGMUT cadre .The letter to Yadav was written by a homeministry official, when it is the joint cadre Control Authority (JCCA) whichshould have written through the Chief Secretary of Goa, who is a member of theJCCA. The Chief Secretary was bypassed.
Poor substitution: To top it all, the centre posted LVPrasad, with a poor track record certified by other officers, who have workedwith him in other places like Lakshwadeep.
Parrikar punch: The Chief Minister, in an outburstuncharacteristic in polite official correspondence, wrote to the then HomeMinister P Chidambaram. He called the home ministry “autocratic” and accused itof “running the cadre as a fiefdom.” The letter stated that “the centre wasfunctioning like a monolith that needs to be tamed”. Parrikar also said thatall powers of postings and recruitment were with the state government.
Pained sarcasm: The then Home Minister P Chidambaramsreply was sarcastic. He said that he was “pained” to read his letter butunderstood that “you (the Chief Minister) were under stress of managing acomplex state like Goa”
The sarcasm didn’t hold.Shortly after this the government of India sent a shortlist of three names tobe appointed Chief Secretary. They were DM Sopolia (79 batch), L Tochong (79batch) and GS Patnaik (80 batch). The Chief Minister rejected all three andappointed B Vijayan, already posted here as Chief Secretary. The Goan is privyto an internal note prepared on this subject. The note (paraphrased) to beissued by the Chief minister says, “I have gone through the bio data of allthree. While they are competent officers, they will need time to know thestate. The government therefore wishes to appoint someone who will beable to meet the challenges of a new government. Hence B Vijayan is appointedas Chief Secretary”
The significance of thisnote cannot be missed. This is perhaps for the first time in India’s historythat a Chief Minister rejected all names for the Chief Secretary's position andappointed someone from within the state without seeking any approvals. Speakingto The Goan, Manohar Parrikar said “I cannot be anyone’s slave. The Congressgovernment may have wanted to be, due to their inefficiency and laziness. Thestate has all the powers. It needs to exercise them”
The truth lies somewherein between though material evidence suggests that it lies closer to Parrikar’send than the centre’s. In some ways tiny Goa has stood up but it shouldprepare for a prolonged face off with Delhi in the Parrikar era.
