Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Thursday urged the Goa government to immediately reinstate 84 workers recently retrenched by Sesa Resources Ltd. (Vedanta) at its Surla-Sonshi mining site.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Goa Assembly, Alemao criticised the layoffs as unjust and ill-timed, especially at a time when the state is actively working to revive mining operations.
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“In a hastily convened meeting with the workers’ union, company officials announced the retrenchment,” Alemao told the House, adding that the move came just three days before a scheduled High Court hearing on July 29.
He pointed out that the matter is already sub judice, with the court having earlier stayed a previous retrenchment attempt. Alemao questioned the rationale behind the job cuts at a time when the government has expressed confidence about restarting full-scale mining activity.
“If the government is committed to reviving mining, why are workers being shown the door?” he asked.
Responding to the concern, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the Assembly that the government would examine the matter and take appropriate steps to address the retrenchment issue.
