Team Herald
PANJIM: A day after mining dependents met Congress President Rahul Gandhi during his Goa visit, the State Congress unit on Sunday said that it has begun consultation process with the mining industry stakeholders for their inputs to restart sustainable iron ore activities in Goa, once voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) on Saturday morning met Gandhi with a demand to ensure recommencement of sustainable mining in the State, the closer of which since March 2018 has affected the livelihood of over three lakh people. Gandhi has assured to restart the activities once the party gains power in the parliamentary polls.
Addressing media persons, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) chief spokesman Sunil Kawthankar said that Congress party is committed to ensuring that sustainable mining starts in the State as early as possible and for that it had even extended whole-hearted support to both State and Central governments led by BJP.
“However, BJP miserably failed to resolve the issue. Despite being in ruling both at State and national level, the party played with the emotions, sentiments and betrayed the mining dependents, whom they used as vote bank during various elections,” Kawthankar charged.
Responding to a question on how party intends to start the activities, Kawthankar said that the party has begun consultation with the stakeholders like truck owners, barge operators, machinery owners and other ancillary activity operators and other mining dependents for their inputs and suggestion.
“We will take everyone into confidence and will work out the solution in the best interest of the State and those dependent on the industry,” he said.
Meanwhile, the opposition has raised strong objection to the latest Cabinet decision of granting six month extension to all the off-shore casinos in Goa to continue their operations in River Mandovi.
The party also demanded that State government should fulfill its promise of forming Gaming Commission and State Casino Policy.
Kawthankar said that resolution, granting extension to off shore casinos, was passed by circulating the note amongst State cabinet members, without holding any discussion on such a crucial issue.
The spokesman said that State government has finished mining and tourism industry but only sector that flourished was casino.
