Team Herald
PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar on Wednesday assured to form an expert panel to study the ongoing crisis surrounding transportation of iron ore, between truck owners and mining company Vedanta-Sesa Goa Resources.
The assurance came following a demand from a Congress delegation, led by party president Luizinho Faleiro that met the Chief Minister on Wednesday to discuss the controversy.
A special meeting, attended by Congress members, officials of the Mines Department, Sesa Goa and truck owners, resolved to arrive at a consensus considering that international prices are at the lowest and mining must resume with business for locals.
Parsekar assured the Congress that an expert panel will be constituted, comprising officials from the Mines Department, chartered accountants, representatives from mining companies, members of Goa Mineral Ore Exporters’ Association (GMOEA) and truck owners to study the matter of ore transportation rates and arrive at a conclusion in the interest of the State, mining industry and people dependent on the business.
Speaking to media persons, Faleiro confirmed the Chief Minister’s assurance and said, “It is a serious issue affecting resumption of mining, which was at a halt for the past three years and so also people dependent on the business,” he said.
He, however, was of the view that mining companies cannot force truck owners to transport the ore at such a low rate, considering that the section had no business in the past three years. “Mining has not resumed in full swing and hence mining companies need to understand that with limited ore transport, truck owners, which are many in number, cannot sustain the business,” he said.
Sesa, which has begun transporting ore from its mining site to the jetty to be exported to China, had faced an agitation from truckers.
Ore transportation had stopped since December 4 after the All Goa Truck Owners’ Association resorted to an agitation. The association demanded to be paid Rs 11 per tonne of ore as against the current rate of Rs 8 per tonne per kilometre. The company, however, had refused to offer this rate claiming that the market situation is grim due to sliding international ore prices.
