The granite body, in its counter affidavit before first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, claimed that the figure was based on officials' 'assumptions and presumptions' and not on well settled trade practices.
The matter relates to a PIL petition by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy on which the court had appointed IAS officer U Sagayam as the Legal Commissioner to probe the allegations of illegal mining.
The Geology and Mining officials did not take into account the trade practices, it was submitted. Buyers were allowed allowances (to put out of sale purview) ranging from 5 cm to 20 cm depending upon the quality, colour, crakes and other natural defects. Such factors were not taken into account, it was pointed out.
However, all of a sudden, especially after August 2012, the officials started measuring "length x breadth x height" of the excavated granite pit. They measured it on volumetric basis and calculated it arithmetically without geological mapping and inputs, the federation contended.
"The officials had adopted fanciful, imaginary export price while calculating the recovery and price of minerals," it charged.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing to January 11 next.
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