Demands Union ministers come and assure mining dependents on course of action to protect livelihood; Wants all parties to find solution to place before CAC and recommend to the Cabinet
Team Herald
PANJIM: Apprehending a chaotic situation across State due to closure of the iron ore mining industry from March 15 midnight, Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo has demanded that Union Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari come to Goa and brief the people, dependent on the industry, on the government’s next course of action to protect their livelihood.
The BJP MLA has also demanded that all the coalition partners – BJP, MGP, Goa Forward Party and Independent MLAs – along with their party leadership meet to find a solution to the situation that is going to arise post March 15 and place the same before the Cabinet Advisory Committee (CAC) for recommendation before the Cabinet and Chief Minister.
Addressing media persons on Friday, Lobo raised serious apprehension of the possible chaos and panic post March 15 in the mining belts. “I strongly feel that all the coalition partners need to sit together and come out with a solution that can be put in place after March 15 to protect the livelihood of the people dependent on the industry,” he said.
“We can place the same proposal before the CAC and later before the cabinet for its implementation,” the MLA said, adding that in the absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is undergoing treatment at USA, the State cannot adopt a “wait and watch” attitude.
Lobo said he has already discussed this with BJP and GFP MLAs. “We need to take a collective decision with backing from the Centre. The delegation that went to Delhi did not follow protocol. No cabinet decision, no Assembly resolution, nothing,” he said.
“I am also sure that considering the stability of his health, Chief Minister will call Central Ministers for some immediate remedy,” the Calangute MLA stated.
Lobo demanded that the BJP central leadership take the lead and send Tomar and Gadkari to Goa to hold discussions with the parties in government and tell the people dependent on the industry what their plans are. “When Central leadership can come down to Goa to form a government, why not now when the State is in crisis?” he questioned.
“It is the collective responsibility of State and Centre to protect the livelihood of over one lakh people dependent on the industry. Let the Central Ministers tell people how long the ban will last,” he said adding, “Mining ban is going to have serious financial and economic crisis in the State.”
He added that if Centre fails to respond, than the State will have to take the next step.
