the goan I network
PANAJI
With the conclusive phase of hearing already in motion at the Supreme Court and a related hearing on the Goa mining ban slated for April 15, the Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) has planned to highlight the issue by staging a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi from April 9-11 demanding resumption of mining activity in the State.
This is not a protest, we just want to highlight the issue, said GMPF leader Puti Gaonkar.
The mining dependents who have been deprived of their livelihood as a result of the abrupt closure of mining activities in the State will only highlight their plight, he added.
The GMPF has demanded immediate resumption of iron ore activities in the State, which have been shut since the last 13 months. This is the second time that the mining dependents have made it to Delhi to raise their demands.
In December 2018, GMPF held a similar dharna at Jantar Mantar and Ram Leela Maidan.
It may be recalled that, the Supreme Court had banned mining activities in Goa in February 2018. The decision to ban mining impacted the livelihood of many families in Goa.
Puti Goankar informed that approximately 60,000 people who were employed in the mining sector were adversely impacted due to mining closure. These mining dependents were either directly or indirectly employed as truck owners, drivers, barge operators, road mechanics or through other related self-employment ventures.
Gaonkar claimed that mining closure had impacted over 3,00,000 Goans.
