PONDA: The mining dependents confronted PWD Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar over the delay in finding a solution for restarting iron ore extraction in Goa, when he arrived to inaugurate a new RTO office in Dharbandora, on Friday.
On learning that Sudin would be coming to Dharbandora to inaugurate the RTO office, the mining dependents had gathered in large numbers. And as soon as the minister reached Dharbandora, they surrounded him and demanded to know why the government has failed to fulfill its promise of restarting mining so far; and why they were ignored and not a single Central minister met to them during their agitation at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
To pacify the agitated mining dependents, Sudin said that all efforts are on to solve mining in Goa.
“Now, only the Prime Minister Narendra Modi can find a solution to mining crisis. The file of mining dependents has been already sent to the PM’s office. The Goa Government delegation will meet Modi in five days time to solve the mining issue. The government may also consider including mining dependents in the delegation,” he said.
He said that the Goa delegation would explain to Modi how the mining dependents of Goa are suffering since the mining was shut down.
Explaining the mining imbroglio, Sudin said that mining was closed down due to greed of people involved in ore extraction. “Instead of allotted 38 million tonne limit, the companies extracted 65 million tonnes of ore annually and this happened from the year 2005,” he said.
He said that following massive extraction of ore there were huge traffic congestion in mining belt; and there were complaints from mining belt people about their suffering due to illegal mining which led to the closure of mining.
Later, the minister inaugurated the Dharbandora RTO office which has been shifted to the Sanjeevani Sugar Factory Premises.
