Panaji (Goa)
After initially expressing their resentment over the auctioning of the mining leases, the people dependent on this industry in Goa have now left it to the State government to resort to any action including auctioning of the leases to resume the business, which has shut down from today.
Various stakeholders of the mining industry including truck owners, ship operators and others have decided to hold massive protest in Panaji on March 19 as a show of strength to convince the State and Central government on resumption of this activity.
Following Supreme Court directives, the mining industry in the State have come to standstill from today onwards leaving lakhs of people dependent on this business in the lurch.
“The complete blame of this fiasco goes on to the State government which delayed taking step despite knowing well that the SC will be banning the industry,” said Sandip Pawaskar, Sarpanch of Sanvordem village panchayat, an area which has eight mining leases.
“Even now the State government has been lethargic. We expect them to come out with the solution. They can even auction the leases or form state-run corporation to run the business but livelihood of the people dependent on this industry should be protected,” he said.
Pawaskar along with others have planned a massive meeting in Panaji on March 19 to put pressure on the state and central governmnent to resolve the current crisis affecting the mining industry.
He said that all the 40 MLAs should be unanimous in supporting the cause of mining industry as the revenue collected from this business has been shared for the development of the entire state and not only for the iron ore rich belts of the state.
“When we were facing dust and pollution here, those in other areas were enjoying fruits of our labour. Now it is their turn to pay back to us and support our cause,” he said.
Vallabh Dalvi, president of Sesa Goa Truck Owners’ Association, a body of the truckers plying for Vedanta in Goa, said that the people dependent on this industry will soon take on to the street, if the mining is not resumed.
“Central government is busy allowing fraudsters like Vijai Mallya and Nirav Modi leave the country after siphoning off crores of rupees while torturing small time people like us,” he said.
South Goa Truck Owners’ Association President Prakash Raut Desai said that the truckers are neck deep in financial crisis as they had borrowed money to get their vehicles back on the track.
“Now banks are unwilling to give any loan to the people dependent on mining industry. That has sealed the fate of lakh of families who are staring at their dark future,” he said.
