Nearly 34 lakh ton iron ore exported illegally from NMP - Lokayukta

Nearly 34 lakh ton iron ore exported illegally from NMP - Lokayukta

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, October 1: According to the Lokayukta police, close to half the ore exported from the New Mangalore Port in the last fiscal year was illegally mined without obtaining the permission of the department of mines and geology and the forest department.

An estimated 34 lakh ton iron ore worth more than Rs. 1,700 was exported illegally from the New Mangalore Port in the last fiscal year. This discrepancy was first noticed by a team led by R. Gokul, the Karwar deputy conservator of forests. Mr. Gokul wrote a letter to the traffic manager of NMP alleging that the department of mines and geology has received royalty only for 36 lakh ton of the total 70 lakh ton iron ore that was exported from NMP, which belongs to the central government. A copy of this letter, dated September 13, Tuesday, is available with The Hindu. Copies of the same letter were sent to the chief vigilance commissioner of India, the advocate general of Karnataka, and the secretary to the chief minister.

The letter states: “Nearly 34 lakh ton iron ore has been illegally exported knowingly or unknowingly” and also that “it is not only a great revenue loss to the State exchequer but also liable for penal consequences” as per the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act of 1957, Karnataka Forest Act and Rules, and Mineral Concession Rules of 1960.

According to a reliable Lokayukta source, the Indian Bureau of Mines fixes limits on how much iron ore can be extracted from each mine; and the department of mines and geology scrutinizes the permits given by this bureau before issuing permits and levying taxes.

The mining companies stand accused of extracting more than the permitted amounts and then transporting the same to the NMP without securing the required clearance. Allegedly, no questions were asked at the NMP either about the quantity of the ore or about the necessary clearances.

Justice N. Santhosh Hegde confirmed that certain facts regarding illegal export from NMP have been brought to light. He also told The Hindu that the department also has a copy of the letter and that investigations are in progress.

S. Gopalakrishna, the traffic manager of NMP, told The Hindu that NMP has no idea how to check if the iron ore has received the required clearances from authorized bodies and that the NMP has no right to check either. He added that the NMP’s only job is to facilitate berthing after the customs clears the load. He also said that officials of state agencies were posted at the NMP to check clearances, alleging that they were responsible for these lapses.