Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
 
Panaji, May 18: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar has said that the party will not tolerate any illegal mining activity in Goa at the cost of the environment.
 
“Environment is not going to be compromised at any cost for illegal mining,” Pawar said talking to reporters after chairing Goa state executive committee meeting here on Tuesday evening.
 
Pawar was responding to a question about involvement of his senior party leader Jitendra Deshprabhu in the illegal mining case. Crime Branch has filed First Information Report against Deshprabhu for illegally extracting ore in his property at Korgao village in Pernem taluka.
 
“Whether anyone is from my party or someone else’s, the investigation will go on,” Pawar said.
 
The NCP chief said that the party efforts will be against the illegal mining in the state.
 
Deshprabhu, NCP’s national general secretary, has refused his involvement in the mining claiming that he was digging earth to plant Mango trees.
 
“There is so much of mud that has accumulated after digging pits for plants. Where to throw it? I have sought permission from the state government to sell it off,” said Deshprabhu.
 
He said that `some individuals are making unnecessary issue out of mining.’ “All these years when mining was going on, no one objected. Now they have adequate funds to fend for themselves and started talking of environment degradation,” Deshprabhu said without referring to anyone specific.