'Certain individuals' left out in mining scam probe: Ex-Goa CM
Panaji, Sep 9 : Former Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who faces a Lokayukta probe in connection with the Rs 1.44-lakh crore mining renewal scam, has stated in his affidavit filed before the anti-corruption authority that "certain individuals", who were involved in the process of granting renewals, were "left out" in the complaint filed by an environment foundation.
In response to the affidavit, petitioner Dr. Claude Alvares of the Goa Foundation, on Saturday said that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was also CM when the first six mining leases were granted second renewals, would be made party to the Lokayukta case.
Parsekar's affidavit also claims that the policy under which the controversial 88 mining leases were renewed -- when he was not even the Chief Minister -- was a Cabinet decision and not a personal one, and that too in accordance with an order of the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court.
"The complaint is actuated by malice since the complainant has selectively and conveniently left out certain individuals who were also part of the process while granting the second renewal orders," Parsekar said in his affidavit.
Goa Lokayukta Justice P.K. Misra on Friday cleared the decks for probing the role of Parsekar and top officials related to the state mines department by rejecting preliminary objections filed by Parsekar and the mines department officials, following a complaint filed by the Goa Foundation.
Parsekar claims that his name was "cherry-picked" by the petitioner and has suggested that the policy which allowed the second renewal of mining leases was formulated by a Cabinet headed by his predecessor Manohar Parrikar.
"The said policy along with other related developments bonafidely were adopted by the government of Goa, while I was not even Chief Minister of the state of Goa, though a Minister in the Cabinet and not even Minister of Mines and Geology, all of which were decisions taken and approved by the Cabinet as a whole..." Parsekar said in his affidavit.
Parsekar succeeded Parrikar as Goa CM, after Parrikar was elevated to the Union Cabinet as Defence Minister in 2014. After formulating the mining renewal policy, the Parrikar-led administration had renewed a some mining leases, before the BJP leader's elevation to the Central Cabinet. The subsequent dispensation headed by Parsekar ordered the second renewal of mining leases, based on the directions of a High Court order, according to Parsekar.
Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Alavres, whose petitions in the Supreme Court of India in the recent past have led to complete suspension of Goa's illegal mining operations on two occasions in the past six years, said that Parrikar would also be made party to the alleged complaint filed before the Lokayukta.
"Parsekar has now filed an affidavit, which states very clearly that he is not fully responsible for approving those 88 leases. That it was a decision taken by Parrikar when he was the Chief Minister and therefore the investigation should also include him. We are now making an application to make Parrikar, though he is ill, also a party," Alvares said.
Mining in Goa was banned for the second time earlier this year by the apex court, faulting the state government for irregularities in granting second renewals of 88 mining leases while also directing the state government to allot the mining leases afresh.
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Bengaluru: A new health report has revealed that over 75% of Karnataka's population screened in 2024 is either obese or overweight, highlighting an alarming rise in lifestyle-related health issues.
According to the Health of the Nation 2025 report by Apollo Hospitals, as cited by The New Indian Express on Tuesday, 56% of those screened were diagnosed as obese, while another 21% were classified as overweight.
The report underscores a growing public health crisis, driven by sedentary lifestyles, poor nutrition, and undiagnosed chronic conditions that often do not show visible symptoms. The annual report, which examined health data from over 2.5 million preventive screenings conducted across the Apollo ecosystem in India, reveals that symptom-based healthcare is increasingly insufficient to address these hidden health risks.
In Karnataka, the report found that 28% of the individuals screened were hypertensive, with half of them classified as pre-hypertensive. Diabetes was found in 20% of the population, with an additional 25% falling into the pre-diabetic category. These figures reflect the rising metabolic stress among asymptomatic individuals, many of whom are unaware of their conditions.
Additionally, the report noted that 84% of the screened individuals in the state had low vitamin D levels, which can negatively impact bone health and immunity. Furthermore, 64% exhibited reduced flexibility, affecting musculoskeletal wellness.
Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman of Apollo Hospitals, emphasised the need for India to shift towards a preventive health culture. "Early screening, personalised interventions, and health education should become integral to our homes, schools, and workplaces," TNIE quoted him as saying.
The report also highlighted several other health threats, including fatty liver disease, post-menopause health risks, and childhood obesity. Of the 2.5 million people screened nationally, 65% had fatty liver with 85% of those cases being non-alcoholic. Heart disease signs were present in 46% of asymptomatic individuals, while post-menopausal women saw a sharp increase in both obesity (from 76% to 86%) and diabetes (from 14% to 40%).
Childhood obesity is also becoming a significant concern, with the report revealing that 28% of college students were either overweight or obese, and 19% showed signs of prehypertension.
Mental health issues, often under-reported, emerged as another area of concern, with 7% of women and 5% of men screened nationwide showing symptoms of clinical depression, particularly among the middle-aged population.
