Panaji, Sep 14 (IANS): Members of the Justice M.B. Shah Commission probing illegal mining in Karnataka and Goa Wednesday began inspecting the 100-odd operative open cast mining leases in the state while also looking into complaints of wanton illegal mining.

A state mining department official liaisoning with the Commission's members said the latter had been split into various teams and each had been allotted 12 mines to inspect the mining leases.

The entire exercise is being conducted by Karnataka's chief conservator of forests U.V. Singh, who is part of the commission's nine-member team, the official said.

Singh was one of the officials responsible for collecting and collating the data which led to the exposure of the Karnataka mining scandal.

The commission, which has been appointed by the central government to probe illegal mining across the country, has been given 18 months to submit its report.

"They are expected to be conducting site visits and inspection and collecting data for nearly three weeks in Goa," the official said.

Among the issues which Justice M.B. Shah is looking into is illegal mining, encroachment of adjoining land by the mining operators, illegal extraction and export of iron.

Goa has been repeatedly rocked by the illegal mining scandal with the public accounts committee earlier this month pointing out to a Rs.1,200 crore scam, involving seven million tonnes of iron ore.

Leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar has accused Chief Minister Digambar Kamat as well as several cabinet ministers of being a part of the illegal mining scandal. Goa extracted nearly 54 million tonnes of iron ore in the last financial year.