the goan I network
PONDA
The Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) has deferred its agitation scheduled on Monday, following an assurance from Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral that the mining issue could be resolved by June 7.
“If the government fails to resolve this issue by June 7, we will stage a dharna at Azad Maidan Panaji on June 11,” warned GMPF President Puti Gaonkar, while addressing a news conference in Ponda city on Saturday.
At its meeting on Friday, the GMPF had decided to step up its agitation with a dharna at Azad Maidan in Panaji from Monday till the beginning of the next assembly session, as well as a token hunger strike on Monday.
Rival leaders from BJP, Congress, MGP, Goa Forward Party and NCP had kept their differences aside and had come together for a common cause, to express their solidarity with mining dependents from across the State. All of them had favoured the promulgation of an ordinance to resolve the mining crisis and resume mining activity.
Late Friday evening, Nilesh Cabral had informed the GMPF that the MLAs would return to New Delhi this week and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that issue could be resolved by June 7.
Warning the government that if it failed to resolve this issue by June 7, Gaonkar said the mining dependents would stage a dharna at Azad Maidan Panaji on June 11.
“Mining dependents from the mining belts of Sakhali, Dharbandora and Sanvordem will protest by holding dharnas in their respective areas
