Goa's mining industry, in the last six months, has reported almost 10 per cent of its iron ore being exported under doubtful circumstances despite being under strict surveillance for illegal mining activities.
Records indicate that between April-November, 2011, total 24 million tonnes iron ore was exported from both the ports in Goa-Panaji port and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).
Of the entire export, only 21 MMT was registered with the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA) and the rest remains unclassified, GMOEA Secretary, Mr Glenn Kalavampara, said.
GMOEA is a body of exporters in the state, which has biggest miners as its members.
Suspicion shrouds 3 MMT of Iron Ore, which was exported by small-time traders, usually termed as fly-by-night operators.
Goa witnessed unprecendented regulatory measures by the State Government after the Mr Justice M B Shah Commission began its probe into illegal mining activities.
Around 400-odd traders, who were linkages between exporters and mine owners, were summoned by the State Mines and Geology Department following which it was found that many of these operators worked with fake addresses.
The Goa Government also tightened the noose around the ports after it was known that of the total 54 million tonnes of ore sent through Goa ports, around 7 MMT was unclassified.
The situation was expected to be improving this financial year after much discussion on the unclassified ore but it remained the same.
The ore which is not registered with GMOEA has a question mark on its source, which means that there is a possibility that it could have been extracted illegally.