Mining MLA’s need to communicate facts to people
After the Supreme Court decision to lift the ban on mining in Goa, the aftermath of managing and fulfilling expectations will be the biggest challenge of the five “mining MLA’s” of Bicholim, Sanquelim, Curchorem, Savordem and Sanguem.
The pressure on them is enormous and it is not enviable. With the bottom line of the judgment stating that mining can restart, explaining the nuances of the path to restart to a constituency which is desperate to start work to pay off loans, send their children back to school and start living. It is to them that honourable MLAs, Naresh Sawal, Pramod Sawant, Nilesh Cabral, Ganesh Gaonkar and Subhash Phaldesai need to answer to. The questions they will be asked is: Why can’t we wash and take our trucks out today? When will the first trip start? When can the first barge load and set sail? Can we start going to the mines?
The questions may be pre mature and naïve but not for a moment should they be wished away. The truth that the mines they work in, have been termed “illegal” and work cannot start till the leases are granted afresh and not necessarily to the same owners contractors. Secondly with the cap coming down to 20 metric tones a year, business will plummet to one third. That is when competition will be cut throat causing wounds and divisions between families and friends as they battle for smaller pie.
Clearly they who have pinned their future revival to the restarting of mining, will be terribly disappointed when they know that the sector will continue to give diminishing returns. In such a situation, mining MLA’s will be really hard pressed to explain why a victorious judgment is not going to bring victory to their lives. The political class in that belt needs to know that they can’t win this by subterfuge and blocking information. The process involves information dissemination, detailed explanation and then counseling. This is crucial to keeping people’s expectations at bay.
Firstly the gist of the judgment (a detailed one) should be available in Konkani and Marathi with the entire judgment also translated in the languages. Copies of the judgment summary should be available at each panchayat ghar in these five constituencies. In the next two weeks there should be a two day study and discussion workshop in each village panchayat with local representatives and the public in the presence of industry experts. Local mine owners can also be invited to answer several issues that have arisen after the judgment and allow them to explain.
It is important that people are heard and their apprehensions addressed. At all points of time, let the truth, even if harsh be told. So far, the government has been dangling the carrot of mining starting as early as October. These promises, when not may lead to further alienation and anger.
What is imperative also is to try and communicate that there were several wrongs in the way mining was practiced thus far with the government in the center and state one of the major culprits. While there is merit in the argument that mining companies cannot be the sole whipping boys, the truth is that the party is over. And people dependent on mining should look at other options which they get because livelihoods though mining are no longer sustainable or will they provide sustenance.
