Team Herald
PONDA: All Goa Truck Owners (AGTOA) President Nilkanth Gawas rejected the allegation that the mine dependents were responsible for the plight and sufferings of the general public on Monday and alleged that the situation arose because of government failures.
He condemned the State government and police for the lathicharge on protesting mine dependents and said no response by the government on the Supreme Court order for closure of mining led to unrest among those in the mining belt.
Demanding an investigation into the lathicharge, he blamed the BJP government responsible for the closure of mines.
When asked why the mines dependents created hardship for the general public by blocking traffic for five hours, he said mines dependents were not responsible for traffic congestion, but the government authorities.
, including the Collector and officials from Secretariat created the mess as they stopped them in the morning from going to Azad Maidan to stage a protest and the traffic congestion took place when police blocked vehicles of mines dependent.
He said it was the failure of government officials to handle the morcha and that the traffic police and other authorities failed to take proper action to divert traffic.
He pointed out that despite the February 7, Supreme Court order on mining there was no sign of any solution or attempts by the state government and the unrest in mining belt led to the agitation.
