Rupesh Samant
Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji
Panaji, Dec 4: Goa Governor Mridula Sinha Tuesday assured to take up the issue of the resumption of mining in the State with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the union representing mining dependents said on Tuesday.
The delegation of Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF), an umbrella organization of people affected with the mining closure, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday morning.
“The Governor has specifically assured us to take up the matter related to resumption of mining activity in the State with PM. Only PM can provide the solution for the crisis faced by the mining dependents,” GMPF President Puti Gaonkar, who led the delegation told reporters at Azad Maidan in Panaji.
Several hundred mining dependents had gathered at Azad Maidan on Tuesday ahead of their four-day-long protest planned at Ram Leela Maidan and Jantar Mantar in Delhi from December 10 onwards.
Gaonkar said that the delegation explained in detail to Governor that Amendment to the existing mining laws is the “quick solution to salvage the industry from the crisis.”
The Iron Ore mining Industry in the State has come to a standstill since March this year after Supreme Court quashed 88 leases. According to a rough estimate, the SC decision has affected around two and half lakh people dependent on this industry in the coastal state.
Gaonkar said that the mining dependents would be holding protests at Ram Leela Maidan in New Delhi on December 10-11 and will shift the agitation to Jantar Mantar on December 12-13, ahead of the Parliament Session.
He claimed that several political parties have assured to visit the protestors at the venue to lend their support.
“The leaders from the parties like Congress, Goa Forward Party, Shiv Sena, Goa Suraksha Manch, Nationalist Congress Party, and AAP will meet the protestors in Delhi,” Gaonkar said.
He added that the BJP leaders have also been asked to visit the protestors, and assure them that the upcoming Parliament session will move an Amendment to the mining act to ensure that the industry resumes its operations.