Team Herald
PONDA: The State administration and Goa Police are gearing up to maintain law and order on account of the Goa bandh call given by Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) in six talukas of the mining belt on February 26.
It is learnt that the mining dependents will not only move with black flags in protest against non-resumption of mining but hoist the same atop their houses so that they stay till mining commences.
GMPF delegation led Puthi Gaonkar was invited to meet South Goa Collector, SP and other State administration officials with regards to the bandh scheduled on Tuesday.
Gaonkar also met Ponda police officials and informed Herald that the bandh would be peaceful.
GMPF leader assured the bandh call is voluntary and a bike rally will be organised. He claimed that the government has taken precaution and adequate police staff would be deployed to prevent any law and order situation.
It may be recalled that, following the mining closure, last year the mining dependents carried out a huge morcha in Panjim, which later turned violent. The Administration is making every effort to ensure that no such incident takes place.
While the bandh will be held from 8 pm to 5 pm, the rally of mining dependents will be organised in two parts starting from 9 am onwards. It will be held in Assonora and Sanguem in and will commence and conclude at Usgao Tisk at around 1 pm.
The rally at Assonora will start at 9 am and later proceed to Bicholim, Sanquelim, Honda, Surla, Dignem, Pali, Usgao and Usgao Tisk.
In South, the rally will start at two places namely Sanguem and Quepem and will meet at Ambedkar Circle Curchorem and proceed to Sanvordem, Curchorem, Dharbandora and Usgao Tisk. South Goa Collector and South Goa SP have assured to inform their North Goa counterparts and the concerned administrative officials from both districts.
The State administration has ordered that there should not be intentional traffic blockade and against causing inconvenience to school children during the bandh or rally.
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GSM extends support to Goa Bandh
BICHOLIM: The Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) has extended its support to Goa Bandh called by the Goa Mining People’s Front (GMPF) on February 26.
Addressing a press conference in Bicholim, GSM president Atmaram Gaonkar said, “GSM has decided to stand behind the issue of mining workers till it is solved and that is the reason we are supporting the bandh.”
The issue has remained unsolved due to the lackadaisical attitude of government, he alleged and accused the government of not taking this issue seriously.
GSM working president Adv Swati Kerkar said despite having an annual turnover of Rs 8,000 crore the government has not taken concrete initiative to restart mining activities and on the contrary is bent upon pointing out fingers to each other.
Vice president Damodar Naik, secretary Rudraksh Shetgaonkar, North Goa general secretary Abhay Samant, Anil Salgaonkar, Bholanath Gad, Dhiraj Sawant, Bhimrao Desai, Sayyog Gawas, Suresh Parwar and Vithu Popkar were present.
