the goan I network
PANAJI
Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown that followed has compelled people of Goa to stay home, stop movement and commercial activities and ultimately to suffer economic losses. The future of this tiny State that was dependent on mining and tourism seems bleak now. While Covid-19 crises has impacted almost all the businesses, tourism and hospitality will be the most badly hit industries. The closure of mining business, which was the backbone of Goa’s economy until 2012, has resulted in mass unemployment, bankruptcy, loss of source of livelihood and the State is yet to come out of financial crunch.
Since Covid-19 will have a long-term effect on tourism industry, the people of Goa, especially those who were dependent on mining, are hoping that restart of mining will give the much needed push to the economy, in these times of crises. Chandrakant Gawas, a barge owner from Mormugao with an experience in the barge industry for the past two decades, points out that the barge industry was the service provider to mining industry, which has been running for the past seven decades, until it was closed in 2012.
“After the mining operations were shut, the barge industry suffered too, and for the past eight years, it has not come to it’s original state. There were around 350 barges operating in the State then. Some have now, sold their barges. Others have huge bank loans to repay,” states Gawas and hopes that mining which was considered the backbone of Goan economy, has to restart with immediate effect, so that people of Goa can come out of the current economic crises due to Covid-19 pandemic and contribute more to GDP.
Goa is a small State, whose economy has now collapsed and the government has to run the State with great difficulty due to this downfall. Every Goan is experiencing a pinch as there is shortage of money. However, Goa has an opportunity, a chance to correct the economy crises, and there is but one solution, and that’s mining. There is need to start mining otherwise there will be a serious economic crises, feels Sankalp Amonkar, vice-president, Congress party from Mormugao constituency. A leader, Amonkar vouches that the people from his constituency and Congress has always supported mining and will maintain their stand in future too.
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Girish Chodankar reminds that it was the BJP government that closed mining in 2012 and asks that since there is BJP government both in the State and the Centre, it is now their responsibility to re-start mining. “We don’t want false promises and dates on dates. The CM should send a letter to the PM and take a clear stand on mining revival, albeit by maintaining the traffic discipline and studying the environmental impact.
The ex-sarpanch and sitting panch at Pissurlem Panchayat, Devanand Parab who is also the Sesa Goa Worker’s Union president, maintains that unemployment has increased after the mining activities were shut. “The people of our village are hoping that mining will start now, as there is no other option for the State to earn revenue, with the weak future of tourism. People are jobless, others are working on half salary. There is survival crises. There are loans and no money to repay them. We are on the verge of committing suicide,” he warned and appealed to the chief minister Pramod Sawant to save the people by starting the mines.
“The tourism is impacted. Mining was already impacted. Mining has to restart. The government of India should not bother about small issues and try to hold up things. To re-start mining is of utmost important, otherwise the backbone of Goa’s economy will totally collapse,” warns Nitin Kuncolienkar, ex-president of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI), adding, ‘The industries have to invent novel ways of doing business and be Goa centric. The businesses should be migrant-free. More Goans should be hired. Importance should be given to knowledge-based and engineering industries’.
Sanjay Naik, ex-sarpanch at Sanvardem Panchayat and sitting panch at Ward Mirabag is also in favour of restarting mining activities in the State. “Global economy is suffering due to Covid-19. India and Goa are also suffering. Since mining and tourism were the main sources of income in Goa, and now both have collapsed, the economy is in doldrums. It is doubtful that tourism will be revived for the next two-three years, so there’s only one option, that is to re-start systematic mining which can be continued under strict vigilance and following all rules,” he stresses.
Manish Lambor, Collem Shigao sarpanch expresses happiness that mining royalty ore has been started to some extent. Pointing out that in his mining belt, there are seven mining companies who employed 400 workers and 800-900 trucks were running then. “Since 2012 everything is at a standstill. There are 7200 people in our area and 1810 ration cards, out of which 70 per cent were dependent on mining. It’s high time, governments, both State and Central, should rethink on mining,” says Lambor.
