PANAJI
The State government is likely to constitute an expert committee inorder to find a solution to the issues of mining truck operators.
In a two-hour long meeting with the CM at his residence, Leader of Opposition Pratapsingh Rane, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro, chairperson of Congress’ 23-member Mining Affected People’s Cell Nitin Sawant, GPCC spokesperson and General Secretary Sunil Kawthankar discussed issues plaguing the transport sector of the mining industry in Goa.
Congress suggested the formation of an expert committee comprising government officials, mining companies, truck operators and experts such as chartered accountants with the intention of seeking a viable solution based on consensus to the ongoing stalemate.
The meeting was also attended by Director of Mines and Geology Prasanna Acharya and representative of Vedanta.
The ongoing agitation of the truck operators, which took another violent turn at Usgao on Wednesday, prompted the Congress leaders to take up the issue with the CM.
Speaking to The Goan, Rane stated, “We visited Usgao to prevent violence and thereafter met the CM requesting him to seek settlement of the issue in a rational manner. Stakeholders should sit together and work out the nitty-gritties of economics in a rational way rather than using force. We also suggested that all representatives should offer their point of view in writing.”
Efforts could then be made so that mining resumption can benefit local people as well as the economy.
Vedanta's spokesperson confirmed that the company was called to attend a meeting between Congress leaders and the CM. The spokesperson said, "In the meeting, we said that we are ready to talk to truck owners but we can't offer more than Rs 8 per tonne per km to move iron ore under the current market conditions where iron ore price has crashed considerably."
During the meeting, there was a suggestion that a committee could be formed to decide the rate of moving the ore. Vedanta's spokesperson said, "We told that we have no objection to a committee deciding the rate. But, we requested the state government to get us commitment from truck owners that they will move ore at the rate decided by that committee."
It is also reported that Vedanta is currently moving iron ore under heavy police protection. Vedanta's spokesperson said, "We will continue to move ore unless state government gives us an order not to move it."
