Following Goa Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat’s allegations that the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) was not doing enough to stop iron ore being exported illegally, the port has said that government agencies can monitor ore consignments before they arrive at the ports for shipping.

The port trust has also said that ports do not have means to ascertain whether a cargo is sourced from a legitimate mine or not.

“A port trust has no means to ascertain whether a cargo is sourced from a legitimate mine or not. It is the responsibility of the Department of Mines to monitor the same and issue certificates as regards legality of ore,” Mormugao Port Trust, which exports highest amount of iron ore from India, said.

“In case any illegality is detected by the Mines Department, it is their responsibility to inform the regulatory bodies like Customs, so that, the cargo consignment is not cleared by customs for export,” it added.

Mormugao Port Trust, the State’s oldest port located in the town of Vasco, has said that it has been insisting for NoCs from shippers before the consignments are dispatched.

It added, “The ports are not an enforcement body like government departments, which have sets of rules and acts to enforce laws.”

“A port trust is an autonomous corporate body, which cannot act as an enforcer or regulator on its own in respect to export or import without statutory sanctions or directives from the government to act as an agent to do so,” it said.

Justice M.B. Shah Commission is currently investigating illegal iron ore export scam in the State, that is estimated to be lying somewhere between Rs 1,200 crore and Rs 10,000 crore.

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