Goa Lokayukta to take ahead probe in illegal mining cases

Newly-appointed Goa Lokayukta Justice (Retd) Prafulla Kumar Misra will begin hearing into the illegal mining cases lodged with it from the stage where the ombudsman body discontinued hearings due to resignation of its former head Justice (Retd) K Sudershan Reddy.
"In case of illegal mining, there are some cases which are pending. They would be pursued from that stage onwards," Misra, who was yesterday sworn-in as the Lokayukta of the coastal state filling the position which was vacant for two and a half years, told PTI.
"I understand some cases (about illegal mining) are also in the court. If some matter is in court we are not supposed to interfere. I will get update of each case. If court has already decided then we can't hear," he said.

Justice M B Shah Commission, in its probe on iron ore extraction and export industry of Goa, had pointed out rampant illegal mining in the state in 2010.
The then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had announced that the file affixing civil liabilities on various people, including mine owners and government officials, was sent to Goa Lokayukta.
The then Lokayukta Justice (Retd) Reddy had resigned in October 2013 virtually crippling the functioning of this institution.

"(For) two and half years those cases were in cold storage. (In) all those matters we will have to give a fresh date and issue them notices," Misra said referring to 22 general cases (including that of illegal mining) which are currently pending before the ombudsman body.

"I have asked the staff to get all those files and the dates would be fixed depending on what should be done (in those cases). In some cases they were waiting for the reply of public functionary, in some cases they are waiting for issuance of fresh notice to the competent authority, in some cases they were waiting for the rejoinder of the complainant," he said.
Misra stated that in case of pending matters, some
might require police investigation and hence letters would be written to the state government asking to post officers for the same from the department.
"I will be writing to the government listing out how much manpower is required," he said.

The Lokayukta will also issue notices to public functionaries including MLAs and ministers who have to file their annual statement of assets and liabilities.
"I understand since there was no Lokayukta many of them have not filed their assets and liabilities so immediately I will ensure that there is compliance," he said.
"We will be issuing notices to public functionaries whoever have to file returns. When we issue notices they have to file it, if they don't, then we have to give further two months time and if they don't comply with that too, our only power is to name them in the newspaper under Section 21 of Goa Lokayukta Act," he added.

Misra said since Lokayukta has begun functioning again, more complaints are expected to flow in.
"Since it was not functional for two and half years, people were not filing. I found that during those two and half years only two or three complaints have come. One expects that more cases will come," Misra said.