PANJIM: Highlighting the apathy of the laid-off mine workers, BJP legislators representing the mining belt came together demanding that companies immediately re-employ the terminated workers during the ongoing process of mining resumption. The MLAs accused the mining companies of protecting the interest of non-Goan staff and deserting the Goan employees.  

Sanquelim MLA Dr Pramod Sawant also alleged that certain mining companies were resorting to harassment of workers, as he moved calling attention motion in the Goa Legislative Assembly seeking government’s intervention to ensure reemployment of terminated workers.  

“M/s Vedanta is one example dictating its terms. They need non-Goans to work for the company. They are planning to finish the local contractors and other workers. All this needs to end somewhere,” he alleged. 

“The workers were terminated without any notices or suspension or termination order. When they have been showing profit all these years before the closure of the mining operations, why could they not take care of the workers? Their audacity is such that even after resumption, they are not willing to reinstate the sacked employers,” he further stated asking Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to impose strict conditions on the companies before granting them required permissions.  

The legislator was supported by Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral who too demanded that mining companies should be asked to immediately reinstate its terminated employees. “CM should personally intervene to resolve the crisis. Our local youth should be taken back into the jobs,” he commented. 

As the MLAs emphasized on the crisis of the workers, they also applauded the government for introducing umbrella scheme to provide relief to mining affected people, truck owners and barge owners during the mining closure. But efforts to resume mining, they argue has benefited the companies only and not the laid-off workers. 

Sanguem MLA Subhash Faldesai claimed that government’s intention was that mining dependents are back in the field but mining companies are taking an undue advantage of recruiting non-Goans.