Say govt has failed to convince court about mining closure impact n To meet CaC & Sawaikar n Public meetings planned in North & South on March 16 & 17
the goan I network
PONDA
Voicing alarm over the present mining crisis, mining dependents from across the sectors and all over the State on Saturday threatened to paralyse the State if mining operations are not resumed.
While the mining dependents have decided to meet South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar and the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Francis D’Souza, Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai to highlight their grievances, they will also have public meetings in North Goa (March 16) and South Goa (March 17) to plan their strategy.
This was decided at a joint meeting convened in Ponda and attended by Atul Jadhav (Goa Barge owner Association), Hedwig Carvalho (executive member of Mormugao Launch Owners Association), Sandeep Parab (President of Machine Owner Association), Nilkanth Gawas (President of Goa Truck Owners Association) Suresh Desai (North Goa Truck Owners Association), Mahesh Gawas and others.
It may be recalled that the Supreme Court’s order directing mining activity in Goa’s 88 operational iron ore mining leases to be stopped after March 15 had prompted mining dependents to convene a meeting to discuss their future course of action.
“Before paralysing the state, we will meet South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar and the three-member CAC to tell them how we will suffer if mining operations are suspended in the State,” said Sandeep Parab, while addressing a news conference.
“We will have public meetings in North Goa on March 16 and in South Goa on March 17, to decide how we are planning to paralyse the State.”
“We have no other option to earn our living and are fully dependent on mining. Hence, we request the governments to resume mining in whatever way possible,” Parab said.
“We will ask elected representatives what action they have taken on our demands and what the government is going to do about it. We believe the government has failed to convince the court about the impact on mining closure and should tell court how people will suffer because of this.’
“If our demands are not met, we will definitely paralyse the state,” warned Parab.
He said it is the government’s responsibility to provide them employment in the mining sector as they are fully dependent on it.
Call for quick action from govt to resume mining activity
Meet decides to paralyse entire Goa if demands are not met
Feel it is government’s responsibility to provide employment to mining dependents
Not taking mining closure issue seriously
