TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
BICHOLIM: About 2,000 members of the Goa Mine Affected People (GMAP) on Friday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the mining issue and to fulfill the assurance made by him before the elections.
The GMAP convened a meeting at Shivaji Maharaj Maidan, Bicholim, to highlight the problems faced by the people dependent on mining in Goa. The meeting was called on the backdrop of the prime minister’s visit to the State on Saturday.
While welcoming the prime minister to Goa, Bicholim Sesa Goa Workers’ Union Secretary Anand Naik, demanded with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar to put forth their grievances before Modi.
“We welcome the prime minister to our State and since we can’t meet him personally, we would like to highlight the issue through the media. The chief minister should put forth our demands to the prime minister,” stated Naik.
“Before the elections, the prime minister had assured that he would solve the problem if BJP was elected to power at the Centre. We have only one demand with the prime minister and that is, he should fulfil his promise and help the State to restart legal mining,” added Naik.
Naik also urged the State government to take them into confidence while framing the mining policy.
“We demand that the State government should take us into confidence while framing the State’s mining policy. There should be representatives of government, environment and the mining dependents so that justice is done to all,” Naik demanded.
He said BJP was able to win both the seats from Goa only with the support from mining dependents. “In most of the constituencies, BJP was able to take a lead, as we supported the party with a hope that our problems will be solved,” he added.
They also demanded with the Central government to issue required certificates and clearances so that the process of starting mining takes place smoothly. “We know that the chief minister is doing his best to start mining in the State. What is required that the prime minister should also take interest so that hundreds of mining dependents get their daily bread,” said a member.
