PANJIM: Minister for Public Works Department (PWD) Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar on Friday said that the stoppage of mining industry has spread a “wave of frustration” among its dependents.
He said that the closure of industry since March, has rendered nearly three lakh people dependent on the industry directly or indirectly, jobless.
Maintaining that the ban on mining has severely impacted the State economy, Dhavalikar said that the government is exploring all the possible ways to provide relief to the dependents.
“Stoppage of Mining has spread a wave of frustration among its dependents. However, the government is exploring all the possible ways to provide relief not only to the dependents but also for the State at large,” Dhavalikar said.
Minister was speaking during the inauguration of one-day National Seminar on ‘Mining and Economic Development: Indian Scenario’ (MEDIS-18) at Goa Engineering College, Farmagudi (GEC). The Mining Engineering Department of GEC in association with the Institution of Engineers, India (IEI)-Goa State Centre and Mining Engineers’ Association of India (MEAI), Goa Chapter had organized the seminar.
Dhavalikar said that mining is Goa’s backbone and the ban has heavily affected the State’s economy. “The mining impact has gone beyond mineral extraction and processing as it’s linked to many other sectors directly or indirectly and the same needs to be addressed effectively,” he said.
He said that the contribution of mining to sustainable development needs to be considered in terms of economic and technical viability, ecological sustainability and social equity.
“In order to strike balance between sustainable development, ecology and environment governance, mining companies and local communities must work together in tandem with the best interest of the State,” Dhavalikar said.
