PANJIM: Badly hit by the mining shutdown in the last four years, the Goa Barge Owners Association (GBOA) expects a better season ahead.
GBOA heralded the beginning of their new season on Friday by invoking the blessings of the Almighty and praying for a safe and incident-free season at a ceremony at the captain of ports jetty in Panjim.
Addressing the media, GBOA President Atul Jadhav said barge owners are in difficulties, the fall in price of iron ore in the international market has affected the e-auction of ore and the quantum of cargo to be exported cannot be ascertained.
“We hope that business will improve and we are expecting a lot of cargo, around 7-8 million tonnes this new season,” Jadhav said.
Stating that the mining ban had affected the survival of barge owners and due to this many of them sold their barges at cheap rates, Jadhav said they are now pleased that around 110 barges will be operating from Friday.
He said GBOA has decided to start a transparent rotation system, so cargo is distributed equally amongst the members of the association.
Jadhav said the chief minister was helpful in providing assistance to barge owners during the mining ban period and demanded that the government restart mining at the earliest.
“We are confident this new season of business will provide employment to 3600 people and if mining resumes to full capacity we can expect it to increase,” he said.
