We are not in a position to pay salaries from Nov 1

There has been a lot of noise adding to the clutter of voices and opinions on the situation in the mining business. But most of this has emanated from stake holders whose lives and livelihoods have nothing to do with mining. In a series Let’s talk, we will run a series of interviews with stake holders of the industry on how the mining ban is affecting them. We begin with the barge owners: Atul Jadhav, President, Goa Barge Owners Association

The Goan: What is the current situation on the barges front?

Atul Jadhav: With the ban on mining activities in Goa bargeshave stopped ore transport operations from September 16. The barge owners arein a dilemma as the crew is demanding answers regarding their jobs. We are notin a position to pay salaries from November 1, 2012

TG: How many bargemen are affected by the halt of miningoperations?

AJ: Around 6000 bargemen in Goa working on approximately 300barges that are registered with GBOA are jobless now. The workers in the alliedindustries are without work, too. There are around 203 companies owning barges,each employing minimum 5 people. So another 1000 will be workless.

TG: What about your outstation crew?

AJ: We have asked our outstation barge crew (around 1500 innumber) not to come. Usually the work starts in September, after the monsoons.usually a barge below 1000 tonnes has 12 people on board and above 1000 tons 18people.

TG: What about the loans of GBOA members?

AJ: GBOA has also compiled the data of those who areaffected by the halt of barge activities. We have submitted the details of thebank loans taken by GBOA members, to the Chairman of Goa Electronics Ltd (GEL),R R Borkar. The total loan amounts to Rs 4 crore for which the GBOA members payRs 13 lakh as interest per month.

TG: What is the quantum of loss to the barge owners?

AJ: One barge does 123 trips normally per year (It works for140 days in a year). A barge earns Rs 76,000 per trip The income of each bargeper year is around Rs 1.86 crore. Multiply this with 300 barges. That’s ouryearly loss.

Also, GBOA charges Rs 2000 and Rs 4000 as the yearly fee perbarge of 1000 tonnes and 2000 tonnes respectively. Multiply this with 300barges. That’s our loss too. Each passing day adds to our loss.

TG: What about the barge repairing yards and workshops?

AJ: There are 72 yards “ 16 big and 56 small. 16 big yardseach has 300 workers so it comes to 4,800 workers. 56 small yards each has 12workers, so it comes to 672 workers “ both skilled and unskilled. There areworkshops attached to each yard and around 400 workers work there. At currentrate there will be no more work at the workshops after Diwali.

TG: What according toyou is the solution in current situation?

AJ: If ore cannot be transported, the barges can lift coal.If we follow what Sesa Goa and Mandovi Pallets do, we can get coal business.Sesa Goa takes the barges to the mid-sea and unloads the coal from the ship tothe barges. These barges are then taken to their pig iron and coal plant atAmona.

We can also replicate it. Currently the coal is unloaded atthe berth and trucks carry it to the destination by road, which invites cryagainst pollution. If the coal is lifted in the mid sea, this can be spared.

TG: What is GBOA’s next course of action?

AJ: All stakeholders will together go to the Supreme Courtnow. We are taking with us every person and association that is affected by theverdict.

GBOA, along with its 6,000 bargemen, associations connectedwith transport, mining and shipping.