TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), has said all future mining activity should be done through a public sector undertaking, a suggestion that has already been shot down by the chief minister recently.
Saying that it “rejoices at the recent verdict of the Supreme Court on resumption of mining operations in Goa,” the letter by the CSJP to the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar says that “justice demands that the Government of Goa initiate legal action against all those who committed this fraud of illegal mining and recover from them over Rs 30,000 crore during the five years, since the ore was illegally mined, as also around Rs 35,000 crore earned on mining outside the lease areas (as per Shah Commission findings).”
Training its gun on politicos it says that “Political parties who have accepted funding from such mining companies during the said period are morally bound to deposit all this money in the State treasury.”
On the public sector undertaking, the letter said, “In the interest of the Goa, this Council is of the opinion that the Goa government should constitute a public sector undertaking to operate all mining activities in the future, utilizing the existing machinery and trucks that are owned by the concerned citizens.”
The Council is also distressed at the attitude of the Goa governments that has only lobbied and defended the interests of the ‘mining lobby’ instead of defending the larger interests of the directly affected people and of the entire State. “As rightly reflected in the arguments in the Supreme Court, the approach of governments in protecting the livelihood interests of a favoured section cannot be the license for violating the right to life of citizens,’ it alleged.
The council also wanted that all mining leases in the State have been declared illegal by the Supreme Court, it is due time for the Goa government to prepare an authentic Regional Plan for Goa in which the area and extent of such activities like mining are clearly demarcated.
The council has said that the reward of the struggle waged by all is this landmark and historic judgement that vindicates their over-a-decade long persistent struggle along with the victims of mining. The nexus between the government and those operating mines and the use of State machinery to suppress the fundamental rights of the victims of mining is adequately exposed. This order of the Supreme Court has strengthened the hope in the justice systems of this country and ensures a new lease of life to Goa’s devastated geographically important land.
