the goan I network
PONDA
The Goa Mining Peoples Front (GMPF) will submit a representation to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday and will also seek to know measures initiated by the government to restart mining activity.
The GMPF took these decisions at a meeting which was attended by GMPF convenor Puti Gaonkar, Dharbandora Taluka Truck Owners Association Vinayak alias Balaji Gauns, All Goa Machinery Owners Association Sandeep Parab, office bearer of Barge Owners Association Atul Jadhav, Sandeep Pauskar and others. During the meeting, the GMPF congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his second term as PM. Later at a presser, Puti Gaonkar said mining dependents in the State have reposed their faith in Modiji’s leadership to resolve the mining issues in Goa. “We believe that legislative amendment in the forthcoming full budget session can resolve this issue and end the sufferings of over three lakh people,” Gaonkar said.
Gaonkar has appealed to the prime minister and council of ministers to take up the issue of amendment to the Goa, Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987 (Abolition Act). On January 20, Modi had said the Centre would not lag behind in taking the judicial route to restart mining operations in Goa. Hence, we appeal to the PM to take our issue on priority and resolve it,” Gaonkar said. He said the situation of mining dependents is becoming worse as they have no money to pay school fees of their children. “If mining resumption is delayed then it will further impact Goa’s economy,” he said.
Gaonkar said after their meeting with Dr Sawant, they would again convene a meeting and will decide on their future course of action. “We want the State government to resume mining earliest. We will meet the CM and decide about our next plan,” he said.
