Savio Pinto
As I read the news report on your daily regarding the calm since all guns have fallen silent in the mining areas, there must be hundreds of people who must be really breathing a sigh of relief for giving them at last a ‘piece of mind’. The piece of mind from their daily dusty life in their corridors-in their neighbourhood and all surroundings of the ugly movement of the heavy traffic-free from migrants who never respected the local sentiments or hygiene.
Though they may temporarily feel a pinch in their daily income economically, the future looks bright if the very same locals along with the government harness their weakness into strength and vigorously and extensively start planning into farming. The farming is one industry that should be taken on war-footing and regain the massive areas or ground lost by mischievous mining. The peace and tranquillity dawn on the areas from mining at last has given a space to thinking forward and will help concerned and effected people a reason to think of alternatives. The landfilling of the big craters that have been formed has to begin immediately with mining rejects mixing it with other soil. The experts would always lend their hand to make this move a reality. Nothing is impossible though it may take some time to bear fruit.
The recent happenings in Goa have had severely dented the Goa image, yet once again. The unwarranted strike by the so called mining dependents and taxi association has once again left Goans severely bruised. But what was surprising is that the government itself was hand in glove with these rowdies – I say rowdies because the method and means they opted to disrupt life in the capital was nothing but that of a ruthless leadership.
There were hardly any signs of government functioning in the state on that particular day and all these hooligans, including the MLAs, took full advantage of the situation. Those who literally and truly are dependents have played into the hands of the mining mafias to further their selfish cause who have been looting and plundering every inch of forest area. Why the government is silent on loot of those Rs 35,000 cr which could be the source to generate the alternative to mining? Somehow and someday this mining activity had to end but may be the end has come too late. The devastation of the land by mining barons and looters alike is to be seen to be believed in reality. Hence, now onwards please stop crying over mining and start afresh thinking of farming in right earnest.
