Goa CM involved in 'fixing' over illegal mining issue: Pacheco

A legislator in Goa has accused chief minister Manohar Parrikar of being involved in the "match-fixing" over the illegal mining issue in the state.

"Parrikar looks like he is involved in the match fixing over the illegal mining issue, as he has not punished people involved in the illegalities," Goa Vikas Party legislator Miccky Pacheco told reporters. Pacheco has also objected to the appointment of former chief minister Digambar Kamat on the state legislative assembly's public accounts committee on mining.

"Kamat, who is responsible for illegal mining, has been heading the committee which will investigate into the mining issue. What sense does this make?," he questioned.

Kamat, former Goa chief minister, has been indicted in the Justice MB Shah commission report, which was recently tabled on the floor of the Parliament.

Pacheco said his party was not against legal mining in the state. "We have demanded in the past and still continue to demand that legal mining should start in the state," he said.

The extraction and transportation of iron ore mining in Goa has been halted by the Supreme Court pending inquiry report by the Centrally Empowered Committee.