Sagayam panel submits report on illegal granite mining

The Madras High Court-appointed Legal Commissioner, U. Sagayam, which recently wound up his nine-month-long probe into the multi-crore rupee granite scam in Madurai district, today submitted a 600-page report.
V. Suresh, counsel for the Legal Commissioner, submitted the report which has nearly 7,000 documents and photographic evidence.
The report was submitted when a PIL by 'Traffic' Ramaswamy, who sought a CBI probe into the illegal mining activity in Madurai, came up today before the First bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana.
The counsel submitted the recommendations of the committee, which include setting up of a Special Investigation Team of CBI and members drawn from experts from various departments and the High Court to monitor the multi-disciplinary team.

It also include establishing Lokayukta to monitor the mining sector and Tamil Nadu Minerals Limited (TAMIN) to be developed on the lines of Navaratna public sector Neyveli Lignite Corporation and TAMIN to recruit workers in the mining sector.
Justifying the plea of Sagayam for seeking protection from harassment, the counsel said rampant and colossal illegal mining operation took place for 20 years from 1991 to 2012.

Suresh recollected the report of Sagayam, when the IAS officer had served as Madurai district Collector in May 2012 and sent a report to the government stating that the government had incurred an revenue loss of Rs 16,300 crore. Subsequently, the special team of commissioner, Directorate of Geology of Mining gave an estimated loss of Rs 18,600 crore.

Citing these reports, the counsel submitted during the current probe, Sagayam noted that evidence showed that the entire probe disclosed the involvement of higher echelons of bureaucracy and political executive.
The Advocate General sought time to examine the report.
Appreciating the work done by the Legal Commissioner, the bench ordered that copies of the report be served on the Regional Special Director, Enforcement Directorate, and the Ministry of Mines and posted the matter for further hearing to January 4.
The counsel also filed an application seeking a direction from the court to extend the tenure of the Commission for four more weeks and retain the staff and officials till then.

The counsel sought a direction to ensure that all
personnel, including Sagayam and other officials, are not in any way harassed or victimized for having assisted the court in conducting the probe and sought protection for them.
He also sought protection for the whistle-blowers who provided information, documentary evidence or testified before the committee.
Advocate General A.L Somayaji opposed it stating that the government cannot grant such blanket security to officials.
Meanwhile, another petition has been filed in the court seeking a probe into other mining sectors in the state.