Won't spare any illegal miner: Parrikar
PTI, PANAJI | 11 June 2013 18:43 IST
Denying allegations that he was going soft on miners, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said he would initiate action against those involved in illegal mining as per law and spare none.
"I will complete my promise to take action against those involved in illegal mining and the action will happen as per law...No one is above law," Parrikar told reporters.
The chief minister alleged that some sections in media were trying to paint him as being hand-in-glove with mine owners.
"Government and mine owners share a common goal; that is starting of the mining activity. But that does not mean that I am close to them," he said.
Parrikar, however, admitted that he missed the deadlines he had announced when Assembly elections were held last year.
"I missed all the deadlines because officers from the mines department are busy attending courts. Eight officers stand suspended...If courts would not have intervened, all deadlines would have met," the chief minister said.
Parrikar said that almost 21 per cent of state's economic activity came to a halt due to the interim ban imposed by the supreme court on mining activity in the coastal state. Supreme Court had imposed an interim ban on mining in September 2012 in the wake of rampant illegalities brought around by local NGO, Goa Foundation.
"When the (mining ban) case would be heard again on July 10, we will repeat our earlier stand that it is the duty of government to govern. If there is anything wrong, you can punish us," Parrikar said.
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