the goan I network
PANAJI
Mining Dependents have begun what they say will be an ‘indefinite’ dharna for the restart of mining in the State with around a 100 mining dependents converging at Azad Maidan on Monday, the first day of the agitation.
President of Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) Puti Gaonkar has said that from Tuesday, dharnas will also be staged at the mining-affected areas: Sanquelim, Dharbandora, and Sanvordem.
“If mining doesn’t resume in the state, the GMPF will organise a morcha to the Monsoon Assembly Session,” Gaonkar said.
All those dependent on mining like mine workers, truck owners, machinery owners, barge owners, and other dependents gathered at Azad Maidan with signboards to convince the government to resume mining in the state at the earliest.
Gaonkar has reiterated their demand that the government move an ordinance to bypass the Supreme Court’s order citing the fact that the original Portuguese concessions were granted in perpetuity.
“The Portuguese Government had granted mining concessions and not mining leases to the people of Goa, Daman and Diu through a mining concessions Act. The abolition of this act in 1987 led to problems for the mining industry in Goa, as the leases granted in 1987 were granted with retrospective effect - ie
