Goa NGO locks state's mines department in symbolic protest

An NGO, whose petition in the Supreme Court led to the quashing of 88 mining leases in Goa, today locked the state's Mines and Geology department here alleging that the department was the "biggest source of illegalities".

The NGO, Goa Foundation, claimed that its action was a symbolic one.

The NGO's director Claud Alvares said that there was no one present in the office since, being a Saturday, it was a weekly holiday there.

Alvares later handed over the key of the lock they had placed at the department to Panaji police station in charge Siddhanth Shirodkar.

"We are symbolically locking the mines department because this is the biggest source of illegalities. We are not interested in harming anybody. We want to pass on a political message to everybody that this department has let Goans down," he said.

He alleged that the department had helped mining firms to illegally take away iron ore despite the Supreme Court order, of February 7, which had quashed 88 mining leases.

Prasanna Acharya, Director of the Mines and Geology department could not be contacted despite repeated attempts.