Goa should have Lokayukta in place: Santosh Hegde

PANAJI: Member of Jan Lokpal drafting committee, Santosh Hegde, on Sunday said that Goa should have its Lokayukta in place in the wake of raging controversies like illegal mining and Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations in the state.

"In the wake of issues like illegal mining, CRZ violations and other issue, we require Lokayukta to be in place in Goa," he said interacting with the civil society members at International Centre Goa, Dona Paula near here.

Hegde said that the state should go ahead with the notification of Goa Lokayukta Bill, 2003 rather than working on a fresh draft.

"If you want to start afresh, it will take at least two years," he commented.

Goa State Law commission has already prepared another Lokayukta bill which has been submitted to the state government.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat had said that he would table the bill during the forthcoming assembly session beginning from October 5.

Goa Lokayukta Bill was passed in the state legislative assembly in the year 2007 and sent for President's nod. But it was sent back amid certain anomalies.

The huge illegal mining trade in Goa running into hundreds of crore of rupees is currently being probed by Justice M B Shah Commission.

Former Karnataka Lokayukta said that for a small state like Goa, the quantum of ore extracted was huge.

"Minerals are not regenerated. What's the hurry? We are not leaving it for next generation," Hegde said adding in the Karnataka report, it was revealed that huge amount of ore from Karnataka was exported through ports in Goa illegally.

"The ore was brought by train to Goa pretending that it was for the consumption of local industries," Hegde said adding that in reality, the ore was mixed with the low grade ore from Goa and exported.