Warn of intensifying agitation if demands not met
Truck owners from Sanvordem on Tuesday urged the government to immediately resume mining activities in the Sanvordem region, warning that they would be compelled to launch an agitation if their demands are not addressed at the earliest.
Addressing a meeting, the truckers said that for the past several months their vehicles have remained idle due to the halt in mining operations, leaving them without any source of income and pushing many families into severe financial distress. They stated that despite having no work, they continue to incur heavy expenditure towards maintenance of their trucks, apart from paying substantial amounts towards insurance premiums, road tax and other statutory requirements.
The truck owners further pointed out that over the past few years they were provided work for barely 10 to 15 days at a stretch, which, according to them, is insufficient even to recover the expenses incurred on maintenance and tax payments. They said the uncertainty surrounding mining operations has made their livelihood increasingly unstable.
Demanding a permanent and sustained allocation of work at mining sites in South Goa, the truckers appealed to the government to intervene and ensure regular operations so that local transporters are not left in the lurch. They also urged mining companies operating in the region to extend financial advances to truck owners to help them meet mounting expenses and make their vehicles roadworthy.
In addition, the truckers called upon the government to grant tax concessions to ease their financial burden during the prolonged suspension of mining activities. They cautioned that if mining operations are not restarted soon, they would have no option but to intensify their protest, especially with barely two months left for the onset of the monsoon season in Goa, which would further restrict transport activities.
