Team Herald
The renowned environmentalist feels that if mines are handed over to cooperatives the promise of the Narendra Modi-led government to have ‘sabka saath sabka vikas’ can be fulfilled.
“When State and private sector have failed to mine the ore as they are marred with illegalities and loot, the cooperative sector should be allowed to handle this sector,” Gadgil said.
Gadgil, the D D Kosambi Visiting Research Professor of Goa University (GU), was speaking on Friday at a symposium on ‘Prudent Mining – how mining should be dealt in a prudent way.’
The environmentalist said that villagers of Cavrem have requested the State government to allow them to run the mining leases in their areas through a cooperative society. “The gram sabha has unanimously resolved to take over the mining operations in the village. But the government departments are sitting over their proposal. In fact the government is not at all in favour of this move,” he said.
“Government feels that societies cannot run the mines, they are not capable of doing so,” he added. He claimed that experts in the cooperative field have vouched that the sector can run the mining business.
Gadgil equated the attempt to take over mines by the cooperative sector to the movement by farmers in Maharashtra in 1950s when they started sugar factories. “If farmers then could successfully run the sugar factories why can’t the locals in Goa run the mines in their own village,” he questioned.
Gadgil said that in Goa, for the prospect of material (iron ore) capital, the natural capital and human capital was destroyed disturbing the social capital – harmony. “I am of the strong view, that if State wants to resume mining, then along with building the material capital, the natural, human and social capital will also have to be built up,” he said.
The mining industry in Goa has been at a standstill for the last 34 months following a ban by the Supreme Court. The ban was lifted by the Apex Court on April 21, 2014. However, the industry is yet to resume operations.
