Team Herald 

MAPUSA: North Goa District Congress Committee has demanded the immediate formation of a mining corporation to provide jobs to the mining affected people, as per the implementation of Supreme Court order. 

Addressing the media, North Goa District Congress President Vijay Bhike said, “The Supreme Court has exposed the failures of the government of renewing mining leases illegally.”

“When mining was on, the mining department had no machinery to monitor the quantity of ore that was extracted, the transportation process and other activities. The mining department has 127 employees, of whom only five are inspectors to monitor the activities,” Bhike said.

Bhike opined that to rehabilitate the mining dependents, the government should establish other industries to provide them jobs.

“What action has been taken on the mining defaulters and how much of the royalty and loses caused to the state are recovered by the government during past six years,” Bhike questioned.