Should I shoot my officers for doing wrong, asks Natarajan
September 12th, 2012 - 10:53 pm ICT by IANSPanaji, Sep 12 (IANS) Grilled over the role of officials from her ministry in the Rs.35,000 crore illegal mining scam in Goa, an exasperated Environment and Forests Minister Jayanthi Natarajan asked whether she should “shoot” them for the alleged wrong-doings.
“If my officers have done wrong, should I shoot them,” said Natarajan when asked about action taken against officials indicted in the Shah Commission report.
Justice Shah in his report indicted the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), the union ministry for environment and forests (MoEF), state directorate of mines, the state forest department and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for the illegal mining.
The report holds the state government and central government agencies party to the scam, along with the powerful mining operators here, who, according to Justice Shah, plundered natural resources and facilitated an “unrestricted, unchecked and unregulated export of iron ore to China”, which made the exporters of ore “richer and richer”.
The report says that forest laws were completely flouted by the mining companies and even mines which were illegally functioning in forest areas were not stopped by government authorities.
“In our country if one does wrong, he is considered innocent until proven guilty,” she said, adding that those found guilty would be strictly punished.
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- 40 mining companies in Goa issued notice - Apr 06, 2012
- Jayanthi Natarajan to arrive in Goa amidst mining controversy - Sep 05, 2012
- Probe against officials for illegal mining in Goa - Sep 03, 2012
- Parrikar dares Centre to find, shut illegal Goa ore mines - Sep 05, 2012
- Auction illegal mines: Goa Congress - Sep 18, 2012
- Goa to have wireless trackers on ore-laden trucks - Sep 19, 2011
- Goa mining scam pegged at Rs.1,200 crore - Aug 27, 2011
- Ministry orders study on Goa's controversial mining - Aug 23, 2011
- Green nod for several Goa mines faulty, says ecologist - Apr 04, 2011
- China using up Goa's iron ore: Report - Sep 08, 2012
- Goa's mining prowess a matter of pride: Parrikar - Sep 18, 2012
Tags: central government agencies, doings, forest areas, forest laws, forests, goa state, government authorities, indian bureau of mines, iron ore, jayanthi, jayanthi natarajan, mining companies, natural resources, panaji, pollution control board, state directorate, state forest department, state government, state pollution control board, union ministry