TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: The Goa Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday, with both Ruling and Opposition MLAs, unitedly urging the Central government to step in for providing financial relief for the mining dependent people of Goa and resume legal mining.
The resolution, which was moved by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar urged the Centre to provide a financial package for rehabilitation of the people affected due to suspension of mining activities since September 2012. The resolution also urged the Centre to start legal mining while assuring that each mine will be ‘perfectly checked’ before allowing it to start.
“The State has managed the financial aspect for those affected due to stoppage of mining activity well…I assure to start legal mines, everything will be perfectly checked,” he told the House.
The Opposition pledged full support to the resolution and, if need be to ‘fight’ with the Centre in New Delhi to demand financial assistance to the State.
“An all-party delegation should go and fight in Delhi to get a financial package for the State. Even if we have to shout, hold dharna, we are there no matter which government is at the Centre,” Congress MLA Mauvin Godinho said, giving a strong assurance.
He also called on all-party leaders to cut across party lines and come together to resolve the issue for the long term.
“Legal mining, along with Special Status for Goa is of paramount importance for entire Goa. Legal mining was the mainstay of Goa. It has to start. We will help, irrespective of the party and the Government at the Centre,” Godinho reiterated.
Leader of Opposition Pratapsing Rane also added his support by saying, “We support legal mining.”
The Congress leaders also urged that State and Central government agencies should act in unison to present a case before the Supreme Court, to lift the ban on mining in Goa in order to resolve the current crisis which has grounded the mining industry and exports.
Parrikar intervening in the discussion said he was ready to take a delegation of all 40 MLAs to New Delhi for this purpose.
Margao MLA Digambar Kamat also concurred with his colleagues in urging that the Centre, Goa government and all stakeholders should come together to adopt a unified approach before the Supreme Court.
The legislators, including those from the Ruling party justified the demand for a financial package from the Centre, and cited to the revenue generated by mining, a major chunk of which goes to the Centre compared to the State.
“Central government has earned a lot from mining in the State. They should therefore contribute funds to Goa to compensate the affected, till legal mining resumes,” Curchorem BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral demanded. He was supported by Sanguem BJP MLA Subhash Phaldesai.
The legislators including Ganesh Gaonkar, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, Francisco Pacheco, Carlos Almeida and others also joined the chorus while expressing fear that prolonged closure of mining might possibly lead to a spate of suicides.
The members urged that banks be given directions not to prosecute those who availed loans for the purpose of mining business until the matter is resolved completely.
Under its umbrella scheme which was launched a month ago, Goa government distributed 100 sanction letters to the truck owners who will get Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000 per month as compensation.
