Centre yet to receive Shah Commission report on illegal mining

The Centre is yet to receive the Justice MB Shah commission report on illegal mining in the country, which was constituted last year to conduct a comprehensive probe on the issue.

"If you are talking about Justic Shah Commission Report, It has not yet been submitted. It is still awaited," Mines Secretary S Vijay Kumar, who is abroad currently, told PTI over phone.

"We are not aware of it. It (Justice Shah Commission) is an All India Enquiry Commission and they are supposed to visit other states too," another senior Mines Ministry official said, while talking about Commission's recent fact-finding visits to Goa.

His response came when asked about a private television channel news report which said that the Commission is ready to submit its draft report in which it has reportedly held that more than 50 per cent of all working mines in Goa are guilty of illegalities, which includes mining outside the permissible areas to a complete disregard for environmental and forest clearances.

In September, the Justice Shah Commission had begun its probe in Goa, one of the mineral rich states of the country, and has completed two rounds of investigations.

The commission members include Karnataka's Chief Conservator of Forests Dr UV Singh and Justice RA Mehta, retired justice of the Gujarat High Court.

In its two rounds of probe in Goa, the Commission had inspected 90 operational mines and 35 non working mines.

The Commission members are likely to visit Orissa this month as part of their ongoing probe on illegal mining.