Vijai sends distress signal to
CM in US; seeks guidance
OPTIONS BEFORE CM
1) Preside over the Cabinet meeting via video conferencing2) Appoint one of the three members of the Cabinet Advisory Committee to chair the Cabinet meet in his absence
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VIJAI'S VIEW
Government needs to come out with a policy on mining in the event the operations come to a halt from March 16, with an action plan whether the activity can be resumed after six months after a year
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MARGAO & PANAJI: With the burning mining issue coming to haunt the coalition government, TCP Minister and member of the Cabinet Advisory Committee on Friday sent an SOS to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the USA for guidance how the Cabinet should go about in addressing the issues with exactly a week to go for the shut down of mining operation as per the Supreme Court directions. ---
The TCP Minister is believed to have sent a message to the Chief Minister after BJP MLA representing Curchorem, Nilesh Cabral called on him in his office to discuss the imbroglio. The TCP Minister pointed out that the Cabinet should meet immediately to discuss the burning issue, adding that he is hopeful the Chief Minister will call the meeting at least by Monday to discuss the issue thread bare. “I have already sent a communication to the Chief Minister for an urgent meeting of the Cabinet to discuss the issue because the time is running out as mining operations will shut down from March 16,” he said.
Sources said the option before Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is to preside over the Cabinet meeting via video conferencing or appoint one of the three members of the Cabinet Advisory Committee comprising of Ministers Sudin Dhavlikar, Vijai Sardesai and Francis D’Souza to chair the Cabinet meet in his absence.
He said the government needs to come out with a policy on mining in the event the operations come to a halt from March 16, with an action plan whether the activity can be resumed after six months after a year. “All these issues need to be debated threadbare. As partners of this coalition government, we cannot be oblivious to the burning issue”, he added.
Saying that mining and tourism are the backbone of Goan economy, the TCP Minister said that he and his Goa Forward party strongly believes that both mining and tourism should remain in the hands of Goan enterprise. “The issue of thousands of mining dependents cannot be ignored and overlooked. They are Goan people and the shut down of the mining operations from March 16 will have a huge impact on these people, besides the economy as the whole’, Sardesai said.
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BJP central leaders should descend
on Goa to resolve imbroglio: Lobo
BJP’s Calangute MLA and Deputy Speaker, Michael Lobo, has demanded that central BJP leaders descend upon Goa to provide a way forward to Goa’s impending mining predicament the same way they did when they were hastily stitching together an alliance of disparate coalition partners last year.
In a veiled dig at his own government and party, Lobo questioned why there was no apparent movement towards any solution to the mining impasse despite the BJP being in power in the state as well as in the centre and almost an entire state waiting for some directions forward.“When forming the government some leaders had come from the centre, Nitin Gadkari, our party president also came. Let the government from the centre come here and address the coalition govt on what is the line of action. This is what I demand,” Lobo said.
“I demand that the mines minister of India should come to Goa along with Nitin Gadkari because he (Gadkari) is intervening between the centre and state should come to Goa and address the coalition partners and give (offer) a way out,” Lobo said.
“The party BJP party that is ruling at the centre should be immediately informed and called to Goa and a meeting should be held with all the coalition partners along with (coalition) party presidents and ministers and MLAs to come out with a solution,” Gadkari said.
“After the 15th what are we going to do about all the people who will be affected by this mining ban directly and indirectly? What is the plan of action, the Centre and state should make it very clear to the people who will be unemployed,” Lobo said.
“Clarity should come. And the coalition partners should also know what the future will be. The process has to start. Right now I cannot see any process being started,” he said.
Lobo said that with Parrikar receiving treatment for his ailment there was no direction nor any indication that any direction will be there in the near future leaving those affected by mining high and dry.
“Today there is no clarity. CM is unwell and is in the US. The mining belt does not affect me but as a concerned citizen of Goa and a legislator of the state, it is our duty to make (draw up) a line of action. What will happen in the future we must know and for how long it will be closed,” Lobo said.
“What is your future plan. Whether AG has given an opinion or not? Whether we are going to go with a review petition or not. The people in the mining belt deserve an answer for this. All coalition partners should sit and discuss this and come out with a solution. The people of Goa are looking out for a solution today,” Lobo said.
Lobo said that without the intervention of the central government, and with the apparent lackadaisical attitude of the centre, things could take a wrong turn.
“If people do not know what is happening there will be chaos. We do not want chaos. Goa is the state that depends on mining and tourism. If anything happens, if there is a major strike or anything like that, I’m foreseeing. There has to be a collective decision of the government. It has not come. This is why I’m concerned,” Lobo said.
“If the centre does not respond then we have to take the next call. Till 15th we have time and whatever needs to be done will have to be done by BJP who is here and at the centre and solution needs to come to this problem,” Lobo said.
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Have asked CS to consider
allowing extraction till
Mar 15: Francis D'Souza
With BJP MLA and others demanding that mining operations be allowed to continue till March 15 and not March 13 as directed by the Director of Mines and Geology, BJP leader Francisco Souza has said that he has asked the Chief Secretary to explore the possibility of allowing extraction of ore till March 15. “I have asked him to consider the demand,” Souza said.
In keeping with directions issued by the Supreme Court, Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya has sent out instructions to his department officials and staff to begin the shutdown process of Goa’s mines as well as mine leaseholders to stop the fresh extraction of ore from March 13 at 6pm.
“All movable machinery should preferably be taken out from the leasehold area by 1 pm on March 15, 2018 unless otherwise directed or suggested by the Office of the Regional Controller of Mines or Regional Office of MOEFCC, Bangalore who are final authority with regards mining operations in accordance with provisions of MMDR Act 1957 and Rules made thereunder and grant of Environmental clearance and monitoring the compliance of terms and conditions specified therein respectively,” he said in his order.
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Cabral: There is no governance,
how can a state function like this
ANXIETY OF CURCHOREM
LEGISLATOR
* The situation is such that, with due respect to Manohar Parrikar, there is no governance happening, says Nilesh Cabral
* If difficulties cannot be solved because there is no government then what is the function of a legislator, asks Cabral
* He says despite speaking with members of the cabinet advisory committee he found no answer to what was the way forward
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Curchorem legislator Nilesh Cabral has expressed his helplessness at the ‘lack of government’ at present in the State and even offered to resign as an MLA as there is “no point in being an MLA if your own government cannot help.”
Cabral, who has been vocal about trying to ensure that there is no cessation of mining activities in the state, laid into the current government for seemingly doing nothing, besides watching while the shutdown of mining activities nears.
“Where is the government? I do not know?” Cabral said.
“The situation is such that, with due respect to Manohar Parrikar, there is no governance happening,” Cabral said.
He said that despite having spoken to members of the cabinet advisory committee Vijai Sardesai, Sudin Dhavalikar and Francis D'Souza and also having spoken to the Chief Secretary and personal secretary to the Chief Minister P Krishnamurthy, he found no answer as to what was the way forward and who would call for the cabinet meeting?
“I have been told that the permission has to be granted by the Chief Minister who is in the US for treatment for his medical condition. No doubt, we want him back to in a stable condition," Cabral said while criticising the procedure of video conferencing with the Chief Minister for approvals. "How can a state function like this."
"Yes, the cabinet has to be called by the chair ie the Chief Minister. It cannot be called by three people. The Chief Minister when he authorised the Group of Three ministers to call the shots while he is in the US gives the impression that he will be coming back soon. He should take good rest and come back to guide us, but right now, the government has to function and for that the Chief Secretary should have met the Governor,” Cabral said.
“Now today, I have met the three, the Governor, the Chief Secretary nobody knows anything,” he added.
Cabral also said that Carlos may have taken ill as a result of the stress on account of the impending mining shutdown.
“Today Carlos is unwell. Do you know what is the reason? I do not want to be part of the (same) reason, I want to relax and look after my family. Who will look after my family? At least I can do some work and take care of my family,” Cabral said.
“I met Carlos, the previous night and then he suffered an attack. He was expressing his problem. There are 2,600 employees in MPT apart from 5,600 pensioners. The moment mining stops, the Chairman of the port is going to say remove people like it was done in 2012. He was stressed? I don’t want this to happen to me… I am a person who can face all difficulties, but if difficulties cannot be solved because there is no government then what is the function of a legislator,” Cabral said.
