Thaindian News

Miramar (Goa), Nov 17 (IANS) Goa’s angry mining industry Thursday took potshots at what they called “fly by night” mining operators and traders for tarnishing the image of established mining companies.

However, none of the mining industry spokespersons, who were speaking at a conference on International Iron Ore & Steel Making Raw Materials at a resort near Panaji, named any of the “fly by night” cartels, largely reported to be operated by local politicians.

“The Indian mining industry is going through a very bad phase. All of us are being termed as criminals by the press,” said A.N. Joshi, vice president at Sesa Goa, Goa’s largest mining company owned by multinational infrastructure giant Vedanta Resources.

Glen Kalavanpara, a spokesperson for Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA), a body representing over 30 established mining companies and the most authoritative voice of the mining industry in the state, said that irresponsible mining by these cartels were spelling collective doom for the industry.

“The influx of fly by night operators does create problem for the long term players,” Glenn said, blaming long delays for availing mining related clearances as one of the main reasons for the massive illegal mining in Goa.

Prem Kumar, who represented Pisces Exim Pvt. Ltd., one of the biggest ore exporters in the country, said a ban on exporting in Goa - like the one in Karnataka - would spell havoc on people linked to the mining industry.

“Already Karnataka has banned the exports. If Goa exports are also banned, then we would be on the road… This year, the exports are anyway expected to go down further,” Kumar said, adding that while Karnataka exported 25 percent of India iron ore exports, Goa was pegged higher at 40 percent.

“Moreover, ore from Goa is low grade and it is not locally consumed. It has to be exported,” he said.

China has already expressed concern over the dip in export of iron ore from India.

The international conference comes against the backdrop of uncertainty in the mining sector as well as a potential ban on iron ore exports from Goa.

Goa exported 54 million tonnes of ore in the last fiscal, nearly one third of which was illegal, according to opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here.

The BJP has accused Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and several other cabinet ministers of being involved in illegal mining. Justice M.B. Shah, a retired judge who has been appointed by the central government to probe illegal mining in India, is expected to present a report on illegal mining in Goa to the central government by December.