Lawrence Fernandes
Of late we have been reading, hearing and listening lots of stories about mining in Goa, its ill-effects on environment, suffering of mining dependents etc. and the latest one “Sudin hints at filing review petition in mining matter” Herald headlines today.
My sincere opinion on the subject matter is, firstly the Government of Goa has to find the just solution rather than giving false hopes to the stakeholders, whoever they may be. There is no hope that review petition will be in favour of the Government of Goa or mining dependents, as we all know matters in the Courts can take years on and sometimes with negative results. What is the need of the hour, how to solve the problem and in my opinion there are genuine solutions, if taken seriously and with immediate effect.
First, if the Government is serious in helping those people who are planning to threaten massive agitation on March 16, which might paralyse Goa, Government must pass a resolution or take a step to clear the loans of truck owners, machinery owners and others and to do this the Government need not spend a dime from the Treasury. So, how to do this?
We have heard enough that the people involved in illegal mining, who owe the Government Rs 35,000-80,000 crore as per Shah Commission report so also of Goa Foundation. Start proceedings against these people and sooner or later this huge sum will come in, pending which Government can even start paying them from its funds or beg with the Centre so that mining dependents can heave a sigh of relief. Second, instead of giving tall talks and suggestions, give them incentives to promote agriculture with reasonable subsidies, which the Government already has in its program, thereby stopping conversion of agricultural land to fatten the pockets of builders and ruining our green fields and natural beauty. Third, there is so much demand for fish in Goa itself so promote fishing activities in our beautiful rivers instead of using them for future transportation of coal etc.
I remember, some time ago one of the ministers saying “If a real Goan owns one or two trucks is understandable, but who told them to buy ten trucks?” Also, how many Goans own the trucks and how many outsiders have fleets of them? So why Goa Government should suffer losses for these unreasonable practices? If there are big fleet owners who are outsiders, let them take these trucks and machineries to their own State and find employment there!
And finally, who is actually responsible for closure of mining? Is it the common bread earner, Government of Goa and its ministers and MLAs, or few operators who made the hay while sun shines? So let us find out the truth and simply let us not blame the Goa Foundation, the Supreme Court and whoever honestly fought for a real Goan cause.
There is a saying, “where there is a will, there is a way”. Do we really have a will to help people who are made redundant today and work for their upliftment, or simply give promises and wait for next elections to seek their votes? Time will tell!
