Team Herald
PANJIM: Thousands of people dependent on the iron ore mining industry for their survival have decided to march to Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and sit in protest next month on the first three days of the Parliament session pressing for the immediate resumption of mining operations.
The mining dependents will press for an amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR) 2015 and Goa, Daman and Diu Mining Concessions (Abolition and Declaration as Mining Leases) Act, 1987, that will help extend the life of leases till 2037. Nearly 1000, people will participate in the dharna along with leaders from various political parties like BJP, Congress, Goa Forward and Shiv Sena.
Continuing their attempts to mount pressure on the State government, nearly 1000 mining dependents under the banner Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) on Friday took to the streets of Panjim demanding the immediate commencement of iron ore activities. GMPF has threatened to show its power in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, if the Centre fails to bring in an amendment in the coming session and ensure mining resumes by December 15.
The dependents, under the leadership of Puti Gaonkar, met Goa Forward Party president and Town and Country Planning (TCP) Minister Vijai Sardesai, Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar, Congress MLAs Digamber Kamat, Tony Fernandes and Nilkant Halarnkar, Aam Aadmi Party leader Elvis Gomes and others seeking their support in their fight. The dependents also sought support from the Shiv Sena.
“We have decided to hold a protest march at Jantar Mantar on December 11, 12 and 13, which are the first three days of the Parliament session. We have met political leaders for their support and have invited them to be part of the protest in a bid to build up pressure on the Central government to amend the necessary provisions of the Act,” Gaonkar said.
Gaonkar said that if the Centre fails to amend the Act, they will show BJP “public power” during the Lok Sabha elections, where they will ensure that the party candidates are not allowed to even enter mining villages.
It’s been nearly 150 days since mining dependents have been protesting in Panjim, Bicholim, Sanquelim, Dharbandora and Sanvordem against the government’s failure to protect their livelihood, which has been eliminated due to closure of mining operations.
The Supreme Court, through its order on February 7, 2018, had quashed operations of 88 mining leases terming it as illegal.
The mining dependents pointed out that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is promoting make in India, on the other hand, iron ore is been imported from Australia and sand from Malaysia, to take care of local requirements.
While seeking a public apology, the dependents urged the government that the cases filed against them for rioting and causing nuisance on national highway on March 21, this year, be withdrawn.
Hundreds of police officials were deployed to tackle the law and order situation, if any and ensure smooth flow of traffic. However, the entire protest went on smoothly.
